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				<p style="line-height:1.5; text-align:justify; "><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "></span></p>
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				<p style="text-align:center; ">United States of America</p>
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				<p style="text-align:center; text-indent:1.27cm; "><span style="font-weight:bold; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; ">OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH REVIEW COMMISSION</span></p>
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				<p style="text-align:center; "><span style="font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; ">1120 20th Street, N.W., Ninth Floor</span></p>
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				<p style="text-align:center; "><span style="font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; ">Washington, DC 20036-3457</span></p>
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				<p style="margin-left:6px; "> </p>
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							<p style="margin-top:7.667px; margin-bottom:3.467px; widows:0; orphans:0; ">SECRETARY OF LABOR,</p>
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							<p style="margin-top:7.667px; margin-bottom:3.467px; text-indent:1.244cm; widows:0; orphans:0; ">Complainant,</p>
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							<p style="margin-top:7.667px; margin-bottom:3.467px; text-indent:2.514cm; widows:0; orphans:0; ">v.</p>
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							<p style="margin-top:7.667px; margin-bottom:3.467px; text-align:center; widows:0; orphans:0; ">OSHRC Docket No.<span>
								</span>20-1309</p>
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							<p style="margin-top:7.667px; margin-bottom:3.467px; widows:0; orphans:0; ">NEMECKAY’S ROOFING AND HOME IMPROVEMENT COMPANY,</p>
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							<p style="margin-top:7.667px; margin-bottom:0px; text-indent:1.244cm; widows:0; orphans:0; ">Respondent.</p>
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							<p style="margin-top:7.667px; margin-bottom:3.467px; widows:0; orphans:0; "> </p>
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				<p style="margin-top:16px; margin-bottom:16px; text-align:center; "><span style="font-weight:bold; text-decoration:underline ;font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; text-decoration:underline ;">DECISION</span><span style="font-weight:bold; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-weight:bold; text-decoration:underline ;font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; text-decoration:underline ;">AND</span><span style="font-weight:bold; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-weight:bold; text-decoration:underline ;font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; text-decoration:underline ;">ORDER</span></p>
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				<p style="margin-top:8px; margin-bottom:8px; ">APPEARANCES:</p>
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				<p style="margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:4px; ">
					<span style="mso-tab-count:1">  </span>For the Complainant:</p>
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				<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_BodyText style_BodyText " style="margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:1; text-indent:2.235cm; "><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Adam Lubow, Esq.<span>
						</span></span></p>
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			<div>
				<p style="text-align:justify; text-indent:2.235cm; widows:0; orphans:0; "><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Office of the Solicitor</span></p>
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			<div>
				<p style="text-align:justify; text-indent:2.235cm; widows:0; orphans:0; "><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">U.S. Department of Labor</span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="margin-left:36px; text-indent:1.27cm; "><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Cleveland, Ohio</span><span><span></span>
					</span></p>
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			<div>
				<p style="margin-top:8px; margin-bottom:0px; ">
					<span style="mso-tab-count:1">  </span>For the Respondent:</p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="margin-top:4px; margin-bottom:0px; text-indent:2.235cm; ">Philip<span>
					</span>Nemeckay, Owner/Sole Proprietor</p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:16px; text-indent:2.235cm; ">Richfield, Ohio</p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p>BEFORE:<span style="mso-tab-count:1">  </span>Administrative Law Judge<span>
					</span>William S. Coleman<span><span></span>
					</span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="margin-top:16px; margin-bottom:12px; text-align:center; "><span style="font-weight:bold; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; ">INTRODUCTION</span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="line-height:2; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; ">Mr. Philip<span>
					</span>Nemeckay<span><span></span>
					</span>of Richfield, Ohio,<span>
					</span>owns and operates<span><span></span>
					</span>the<span>
					</span>named<span>
					</span>Respondent,<span><span></span>
					</span>Nemeckay’s<span><span></span>
					</span>Roofing and Home Improvement Company<span><span></span>
					</span>(Nemeckay’s<span><span></span>
					</span>Roofing).</p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="line-height:2; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; ">Nemeckay’s<span><span></span>
					</span>Roofing is<span>
					</span>a sole proprietorship<span><span></span>
					</span>and as such<span>
					</span>it<span>
					</span>has<span><span></span>
					</span>no legal identity separate from Mr.<span>
					</span>Nemeckay.<span><span></span>
					</span><span><span></span>
					</span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">See</span><span><span></span>
					</span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Patterson v. V & M Auto Body</span>,<span>
					</span>63 Ohio St.3d 573, 57475,<span><span></span>
					</span>589 N.E.2d 1306, 1308 (1992)<span><span></span>
					</span>(noting that a “sole proprietorship has no legal identity separate from that of the individual who owns it”<span>
					</span>and<span>
					</span>that “[i]t may do business under a fictitious name if it<span>
					</span>chooses, but<span><span></span>
					</span>doing business under another name does not create an entity distinct from the person operating<span>
					</span>the business”). Accordingly,<span><span></span>
					</span>all<span>
					</span>references<span><span></span>
					</span>herein<span>
					</span>to<span>
					</span>Nemeckay’s<span><span></span>
					</span>Roofing<span>
					</span>constitute<span>
					</span>references<span><span></span>
					</span>to<span>
					</span>Mr.<span>
					</span>Philip<span>
					</span>Nemeckay<span><span></span>
					</span>as well, and vice versa.<span><span></span>
					</span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="line-height:2; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; ">On June 29, 2020,<span>
					</span>a Compliance Safety and Health Officer (CO)<span>
					</span>from<span>
					</span>the<span><span></span>
					</span>Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)<span>
					</span>was driving an official<span><span></span>
					</span>government<span>
					</span>automobile<span><span></span>
					</span>in Columbia Station, Ohio, when he<span><span></span>
					</span>noticed<span><span></span>
					</span>people<span>
					</span>working atop the<span>
					</span>roof of a<span>
					</span>two-story<span>
					</span>house<span><span></span>
					</span>without<span>
					</span>any apparent means of<span><span></span>
					</span>fall protection. The CO initiated an<span><span></span>
					</span>investigation<span><span></span>
					</span>that<span><span></span>
					</span>ultimately<span>
					</span>resulted in OSHA issuing<span>
					</span>on July 15,<span>
					</span>2020<span><span></span>
					</span>a Citation and Notification of Penalty<span><span></span>
					</span>to<span>
					</span>Nemeckay’s<span><span></span>
					</span>Roofing<span>
					</span>that<span>
					</span>alleged<span><span></span>
					</span>four serious violations<span>
					</span>of<span>
					</span>occupational<span>
					</span>safety<span>
					</span>standards<span><span></span>
					</span>that had been promulgated<span>
					</span>under<span><span></span>
					</span>the<span>
					</span>Occupational Safety and Health Act<span>
					</span>of 1970<span>
					</span>(Act),<span>
					</span>29 U.S.C. §§ 651–678 (Act). The citation<span>
					</span>alleged<span>
					</span>that<span>
					</span>on or about June 29, 2020,<span><span></span>
					</span>Nemeckay’s<span><span></span>
					</span>Roofing<span><span></span>
					</span>violated<span><span></span>
					</span>construction industry<span>
					</span>standards<span>
					</span>codified at 29 C.F.R. pt. 1926<span><span></span>
					</span>pertaining to<span>
					</span>the use of<span>
					</span>(1) protective helmets<span><span></span>
					</span>[§ 1926.100(a)],<span>
					</span>(2) eye protection<span><span></span>
					</span>[§ 1926.102(a)(1)],<span>
					</span>(3) fall protection in residential construction<span><span></span>
					</span>[§ 1926.501(b)(13)], and<span>
					</span>(4) portable ladders<span><span></span>
					</span>[§ 1926.1053(b)(1)].<span><span></span>
					</span><span><span></span>
					</span>(Respectively<span><span></span>
					</span>designated as<span>
					</span>Items 1, 2, 3, and 4 of<span><span></span>
					</span>Citation 1.) Penalties that totaled $12,144 were proposed for the alleged violations.</p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="line-height:2; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; ">Mr.<span>
					</span>Nemeckay<span><span></span>
					</span>timely contested the<span>
					</span>Citation and Notification of Penalty<span><span></span>
					</span>and thereby brought the matter before the<span>
					</span>independent<span>
					</span>Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission (Commission) pursuant to section 10(c) of the<span>
					</span>Act. 29 U.S.C. § 659(c).<span>
					</span><span><span></span>
					</span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="line-height:2; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; ">The Secretary<span><span></span>
					</span>of Labor (Secretary)<span><span></span>
					</span>thereafter filed<span>
					</span>a<span><span></span>
					</span>formal complaint<span>
					</span>pursuant to Commission Rule 34(a) [29 C.F.R. § 2200.34(a)]<span>
					</span>that<span>
					</span>re-alleged<span><span></span>
					</span>the<span>
					</span>allegations of the<span>
					</span>Citation<span><span></span>
					</span>and Notification of Penalty. Mr.<span>
					</span>Nemeckay, who<span>
					</span>represented<span>
					</span>himself in these Commission proceedings, filed a formal answer<span>
					</span>that generally<span>
					</span>denied<span><span></span>
					</span>the allegations of the complaint,<span>
					</span>including<span>
					</span>denying<span>
					</span>the<span>
					</span>Secretary’s averment<span>
					</span>that<span>
					</span>he<span><span></span>
					</span>was “an<span>
					</span>employer<span><span></span>
					</span>employing employees in his business<span>
					</span>at the<span>
					</span>[identified]<span><span></span>
					</span>workplace.”<span><span></span>
					</span><span><span></span>
					</span>The<span><span></span>
					</span>answer also<span>
					</span>effectively<span>
					</span>asserted<span>
					</span>that the<span>
					</span>OSHA<span><span></span>
					</span>inspection violated<span><span></span>
					</span>the<span>
					</span>U.S. Constitution’s Fourth Amendment.<span class="style_DefaultParagraphFont style_DefaultParagraphFont style_FootnoteReference style_FootnoteReference " style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="line-height:2; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; ">The<span>
					</span>matter was<span>
					</span>assigned to the undersigned<span>
					</span>Commission Judge<span>
					</span>for hearing and decision. The<span>
					</span>evidentiary<span>
					</span>hearing<span>
					</span>was conducted<span>
					</span>by remote means<span>
					</span>utilizing<span>
					</span>videoconferencing technology<span><span></span>
					</span>on<span>
					</span>September 29,<span><span></span>
					</span>2021. (The parties assented to conducting the hearing by remote means instead of having<span>
					</span>the hearing<span><span></span>
					</span>conducted<span><span></span>
					</span>in-person<span>
					</span>in<span><span></span>
					</span>a Cleveland courtroom.)<span><span></span>
					</span><span><span></span>
					</span>In lieu of filing written posthearing briefs pursuant to Commission Rule 74(a) [29 C.F.R. § 2200.74(a)], the<span>
					</span>parties opted to make<span><span></span>
					</span>oral closing arguments on the record at the close of the<span><span></span>
					</span>hearing. (T. 195).</p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:12px; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; ">The principal<span>
					</span>questions of law presented<span><span></span>
					</span>for decision<span><span></span>
					</span>are as follows:<span class="style_DefaultParagraphFont style_DefaultParagraphFont style_FootnoteReference style_FootnoteReference " style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span><span></span>
					</span></p>
			</div>
			<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_ListParagraph style_ListParagraph " style="margin-left:48px; text-indent:-.635cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:normal; text-align:justify; margin-left:101.733px; text-indent:-.635cm; margin-right:96px; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:normal; text-align:justify; ">
				<span style="font-family:Symbol; padding-right:20px;">·</span>Did<span><span></span>
				</span>Mr.<span>
				</span>Nemeckay<span><span></span>
				</span>have<span>
				</span>a<span>
				</span>constitutionally protected<span>
				</span>reasonable expectation of privacy while working on the<span>
				</span>exterior<span>
				</span>of his customer’s house?</p>
			<div>
				<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_ListParagraph style_ListParagraph " style="margin-top:8px; margin-bottom:8px; line-height:normal; text-align:justify; margin-left:132px; margin-right:96px; "><span style="text-decoration:underline ;font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; text-decoration:underline ;">Decision</span>:<span>
					</span>No.<span>
					</span><span><span></span>
					</span></p>
			</div>
			<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_ListParagraph style_ListParagraph " style="margin-left:48px; text-indent:-.635cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:normal; text-align:justify; margin-left:102px; text-indent:-.635cm; margin-right:96px; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:normal; text-align:justify; ">
				<span style="font-family:Symbol; padding-right:20px;">·</span>Did the Secretary<span>
				</span>establish<span>
				</span>that<span>
				</span>Mr.<span>
				</span>Nemeckay<span><span></span>
				</span>is an “employer” as defined by the Act?</p>
			<div>
				<p style="margin-top:8px; margin-bottom:16px; line-height:normal; text-align:justify; margin-left:132px; margin-right:144px; "><span style="text-decoration:underline ;font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; text-decoration:underline ;">Decision</span>: No. </p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p class="style_Default style_Default " style="margin-top:12px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; "><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">T</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">he Citation and Notification of Penalty must<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">accordingly<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">be vacated b</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">ecause the<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Secretary<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">has</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>not<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">establish</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">ed</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">that<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Mr.<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Nemeckay</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">is an “employer”<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">as defined by the Act<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">and thus<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">has</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>not<span>
						</span></span>established<span><span></span>
					</span>that<span>
					</span>he<span><span></span>
					</span>was<span><span></span>
					</span>required<span>
					</span>to<span><span></span>
					</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">comply with</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">occupational safety and health standards</span><span><span></span>
					</span>promulgated under the Act<span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">.</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:12px; text-align:center; "><span style="font-weight:bold; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; ">FINDINGS OF FACT</span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p class="style_Default style_Default " style="margin-top:12px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; "><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Except where the following numbered paragraphs expressly state that evidence respecting a matter of fact was not presented or was not preponderant, the following facts were established by at least a preponderance of the evidence:</span></p>
			</div>
			<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_ListParagraph style_ListParagraph " style="margin-left:48px; text-indent:-.635cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; margin-left:0cm; text-indent:1.27cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; ">
				<span style="font-weight:normal; padding-right:20px;">1.</span>Mr. Philip<span>
				</span>Nemeckay<span><span></span>
				</span>(Nemeckay) owns and operates<span><span></span>
				</span>Nemeckay’s<span><span></span>
				</span>Roofing<span>
				</span>as a<span><span></span>
				</span>sole proprietorship.<span>
				</span><span><span></span>
				</span>(T.<span>
				</span>17).<span>
				</span><span><span></span>
				</span>Nemeckay’s<span><span></span>
				</span>Roofing<span><span></span>
				</span>engages<span><span></span>
				</span>in<span>
				</span>residential<span>
				</span>construction<span>
				</span>activities in the Cleveland, Ohio area. (T.<span>
				</span>29).<span>
				</span></p>
			<div>
				<p style="margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:12px; text-align:center; "><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Oral<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Agreement</span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">to Install Shingles</span></p>
			</div>
			<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_ListParagraph style_ListParagraph " style="margin-left:48px; text-indent:-.635cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; margin-left:0cm; text-indent:1.27cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; ">
				<span style="font-weight:normal; padding-right:20px;">2.</span>In June 2020,<span>
				</span>Nemeckay<span><span></span>
				</span>made<span><span></span>
				</span>an agreement<span><span></span>
				</span>with the<span>
				</span>owneroccupant of a singlefamily residence (House) located in Columbia Station, Ohio,<span><span></span>
				</span>to install shingles on the House. The owneroccupant testified at the hearing,<span><span></span>
				</span>and<span><span></span>
				</span>he<span>
				</span>is identified<span>
				</span>herein<span>
				</span>as<span><span></span>
				</span>the<span>
				</span>Homeowner. (T. 11013).</p>
			<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_ListParagraph style_ListParagraph " style="margin-left:48px; text-indent:-.635cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; margin-left:0cm; text-indent:1.27cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; ">
				<span style="font-weight:normal; padding-right:20px;">3.</span>The Homeowner had previously purchased the<span>
				</span>shingles and associated<span>
				</span>materials<span><span></span>
				</span>(flashing and nails)<span>
				</span>that he wanted<span><span></span>
				</span>installed<span><span></span>
				</span>on<span>
				</span>his<span><span></span>
				</span>House, and he was looking for a contractor<span><span></span>
				</span>who would<span><span></span>
				</span>agree to<span><span></span>
				</span>install<span>
				</span>those<span><span></span>
				</span>shingles. (T. 11215). </p>
			<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_ListParagraph style_ListParagraph " style="margin-left:48px; text-indent:-.635cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; margin-left:0cm; text-indent:1.27cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; ">
				<span style="font-weight:normal; padding-right:20px;">4.</span>The Homeowner learned about<span>
				</span>Nemeckay<span><span></span>
				</span>from<span>
				</span>an acquaintance who happened to be<span>
				</span>Nemeckay’s<span><span></span>
				</span>cousin. The Homeowner<span><span></span>
				</span>contacted<span>
				</span>Nemeckay<span><span></span>
				</span>and asked<span>
				</span>Nemeckay<span><span></span>
				</span>to<span><span></span>
				</span>bid on the job. (T. 37-38, 112-13).<span>
				</span></p>
			<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_ListParagraph style_ListParagraph " style="margin-left:48px; text-indent:-.635cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; margin-left:0cm; text-indent:1.27cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; ">
				<span style="font-weight:normal; padding-right:20px;">5.</span>In mid-June 2020,<span><span></span>
				</span>Nemeckay<span><span></span>
				</span>went to the House to assess the roofing job. He had<span>
				</span>not previously<span>
				</span>been to the House,<span><span></span>
				</span>and he had not previously<span>
				</span>met the<span>
				</span>Homeowner. (T. 114).<span>
				</span><span><span></span>
				</span></p>
			<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_ListParagraph style_ListParagraph " style="margin-left:48px; text-indent:-.635cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; margin-left:0cm; text-indent:1.27cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; ">
				<span style="font-weight:normal; padding-right:20px;">6.</span>Nemeckay<span><span></span>
				</span>orally<span>
				</span>agreed<span>
				</span>to install the shingles, and the Homeowner orally agreed to pay<span><span></span>
				</span>him<span><span></span>
				</span>$2,000<span><span></span>
				</span>to do so. (T.<span>
				</span>114). The<span>
				</span>agreement was never<span><span></span>
				</span>reduced to<span>
				</span>writing. </p>
			<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_ListParagraph style_ListParagraph " style="margin-left:48px; text-indent:-.635cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; margin-left:0cm; text-indent:1.27cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; ">
				<span style="font-weight:normal; padding-right:20px;">7.</span>Nemeckay<span><span></span>
				</span>installed the shingles<span>
				</span>on<span>
				</span>June 29<span><span></span>
				</span>& 30, 2020. (T.<span>
				</span>58,<span>
				</span>129, 217).<span>
				</span></p>
			<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_ListParagraph style_ListParagraph " style="margin-left:48px; text-indent:-.635cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; margin-left:0cm; text-indent:1.27cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; ">
				<span style="font-weight:normal; padding-right:20px;">8.</span>The Homeowner paid<span>
				</span>Nemeckay<span><span></span>
				</span>$1,000 in cash, but there is no evidence when the cash payment was made.<span>
				</span>(T. 121-22). The Homeowner paid<span>
				</span>Nemeckay<span><span></span>
				</span>the other<span>
				</span>$1,000 by a check payable to “Phil<span>
				</span>Nemeckay” dated<span>
				</span>June 30, 2020. Nemeckay<span><span></span>
				</span>deposited<span>
				</span>that check<span>
				</span>to his account<span>
				</span>at a<span>
				</span>local<span>
				</span>bank<span><span></span>
				</span>at 3:27 p.m. on June 30 (the second and final day of the roofing job).<span><span></span>
				</span><span><span></span>
				</span>(Ex. C-6).</p>
			<div>
				<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_ListParagraph style_ListParagraph " style="margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:12px; line-height:1; text-align:center; margin-left:5.733px; "><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Install</span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">ing the<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Shingles</span></p>
			</div>
			<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_ListParagraph style_ListParagraph " style="margin-left:48px; text-indent:-.635cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; margin-left:0cm; text-indent:1.27cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; ">
				<span style="font-weight:normal; padding-right:20px;">9.</span>On June 29,<span>
				</span>Nemeckay<span><span></span>
				</span>picked<span><span></span>
				</span>up shingles<span><span></span>
				</span>that he would later install on the House<span>
				</span>from the<span>
				</span>supplier<span><span></span>
				</span>that had sold<span>
				</span>them to the<span>
				</span>Homeowner,<span><span></span>
				</span>and<span><span></span>
				</span>he<span>
				</span>transported them to the House in a<span>
				</span>dump<span>
				</span>truck<span>
				</span>that he uses in his business. (T.<span>
				</span>60,<span>
				</span>114,<span>
				</span>129).</p>
			<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_ListParagraph style_ListParagraph " style="margin-left:48px; text-indent:-.635cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; margin-left:0cm; text-indent:1.27cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; ">
				<span style="font-weight:normal; padding-right:20px;">10.</span>On June 29, two other individuals assisted<span>
				</span>Nemeckay<span><span></span>
				</span>in the roofing job.<span><span></span>
				</span><span><span></span>
				</span>(The Secretary alleges that<span>
				</span>Nemeckay<span><span></span>
				</span>was the statutory employer of<span>
				</span>both.) </p>
			<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_ListParagraph style_ListParagraph " style="margin-left:48px; text-indent:-.635cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; margin-left:0cm; text-indent:1.27cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; ">
				<span style="font-weight:normal; padding-right:20px;">11.</span>One of those<span>
				</span>two<span>
				</span>individuals was Nicholas Armstrong. In the photographs that are in Exhibit C-5,<span><span></span>
				</span>Armstrong is shirtless. (T. 79).</p>
			<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_ListParagraph style_ListParagraph " style="margin-left:48px; text-indent:-.635cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; margin-left:0cm; text-indent:1.27cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; ">
				<span style="font-weight:normal; padding-right:20px;">12.</span>The other individual who assisted<span>
				</span>Nemeckay<span><span></span>
				</span>on June 29<span><span></span>
				</span>is the person<span>
				</span>wearing<span>
				</span>the<span>
				</span>“safety green”<span><span></span>
				</span>tee<span>
				</span>shirt<span><span></span>
				</span>in<span>
				</span>photographs that comprise<span>
				</span>Exhibit<span><span></span>
				</span>C5<span>
				</span>and<span>
				</span>the video clip that comprises Exhibit<span>
				</span>C-9. There is no evidence of this individual’s<span>
				</span>identity, and so he is<span>
				</span>identified<span>
				</span>herein<span>
				</span>as Worker Two.<span>
				</span></p>
			<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_ListParagraph style_ListParagraph " style="margin-left:48px; text-indent:-.635cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; margin-left:0cm; text-indent:1.27cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; ">
				<span style="font-weight:normal; padding-right:20px;">13.</span>Nemeckay<span><span></span>
				</span>arranged for both Armstrong and Worker Two to be present to assist him. (T. 117-18, 123).</p>
			<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_ListParagraph style_ListParagraph " style="margin-left:48px; text-indent:-.635cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; margin-left:0cm; text-indent:1.27cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; ">
				<span style="font-weight:normal; padding-right:20px;">14.</span>Armstrong and Worker Two assisted<span>
				</span>Nemeckay<span><span></span>
				</span>in<span>
				</span>getting<span>
				</span>the shingles<span><span></span>
				</span>up<span>
				</span>to the<span><span></span>
				</span>roof. (T. 78). For some of the time on<span>
				</span>June 29,<span>
				</span>Worker Two<span>
				</span>worked at ground level below the roof’s edge<span>
				</span>picking up debris. At other times he<span><span></span>
				</span>also worked atop the<span>
				</span>roof. (T. 78;<span>
				</span>Exs. C-5 & C-9).<span><span></span>
				</span></p>
			<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_ListParagraph style_ListParagraph " style="margin-left:48px; text-indent:-.635cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; margin-left:0cm; text-indent:1.27cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; ">
				<span style="font-weight:normal; padding-right:20px;">15.</span>On June 29,<span>
				</span>Nemeckay, Armstrong,<span><span></span>
				</span>and Worker Two<span><span></span>
				</span>worked<span><span></span>
				</span>at the House from about 7:30 a.m. to about<span>
				</span>11:30 a.m., when<span>
				</span>Nemeckay<span><span></span>
				</span>decided to<span>
				</span>end<span><span></span>
				</span>work for the day. (T. 5758). (There is no evidence<span>
				</span>of when during this timeframe the CO<span>
				</span>initiated the<span>
				</span>OSHA<span>
				</span>inspection.) </p>
			<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_ListParagraph style_ListParagraph " style="margin-left:48px; text-indent:-.635cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; margin-left:0cm; text-indent:1.27cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; ">
				<span style="font-weight:normal; padding-right:20px;">16.</span>Nemeckay<span><span></span>
				</span>testified that he<span>
				</span>ended<span>
				</span>work around 11:30 a.m.<span>
				</span>on June 29<span>
				</span>because<span>
				</span>a certain<span><span></span>
				</span>phase<span><span></span>
				</span>of the<span>
				</span>roofing<span>
				</span>job<span><span></span>
				</span>has been completed<span><span></span>
				</span>and because it was getting hot. (T. 57-58).<span><span></span>
				</span></p>
			<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_ListParagraph style_ListParagraph " style="margin-left:48px; text-indent:-.635cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; margin-left:0cm; text-indent:1.27cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; ">
				<span style="font-weight:normal; padding-right:20px;">17.</span>Nemeckay<span><span></span>
				</span>and Armstrong returned to the House on June 30<span>
				</span>at about 7:30 a.m.<span>
				</span><span><span></span>
				</span>(T. 59). The roofing job was completed that day,<span>
				</span>probably<span>
				</span>sometime before 3:27 p.m.<span><span></span>
				</span>(the time<span>
				</span>that<span>
				</span>Nemeckay<span><span></span>
				</span>deposited the Homeowner’s check at<span>
				</span>a<span><span></span>
				</span>local<span>
				</span>bank). (T. 58; Ex. C-6). </p>
			<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_ListParagraph style_ListParagraph " style="margin-left:48px; text-indent:-.635cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; margin-left:0cm; text-indent:1.27cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; ">
				<span style="font-weight:normal; padding-right:20px;">18.</span>There is no evidence that Worker Two returned on June 30<span><span></span>
				</span>and thus no evidence<span>
				</span>addressing<span><span></span>
				</span>whether Worker Two<span>
				</span>worked<span><span></span>
				</span>that day.</p>
			<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_ListParagraph style_ListParagraph " style="margin-left:48px; text-indent:-.635cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; margin-left:0cm; text-indent:1.27cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; ">
				<span style="font-weight:normal; padding-right:20px;">19.</span>Even though<span>
				</span>Nemeckay<span><span></span>
				</span>had<span>
				</span>agreed<span><span></span>
				</span>to install only the shingles that the Homeowner had<span>
				</span>previously purchased,<span><span></span>
				</span>the Homeowner had not purchased quite enough<span>
				</span>shingles<span>
				</span>to complete the job,<span><span></span>
				</span>and so<span>
				</span>Nemeckay<span><span></span>
				</span>finished<span><span></span>
				</span>the job<span><span></span>
				</span>with<span>
				</span>other<span><span></span>
				</span>shingles that<span>
				</span>Nemeckay<span><span></span>
				</span>had on hand. (T. 125).<span>
				</span><span><span></span>
				</span>Even though<span>
				</span>Nemeckay<span><span></span>
				</span>provided a small<span>
				</span>number<span><span></span>
				</span>of shingles to complete the job, the Homeowner<span>
				</span>did not pay<span>
				</span>Nemeckay<span><span></span>
				</span>any more than the original<span>
				</span>agreed<span><span></span>
				</span>price of<span><span></span>
				</span>$2,000. (T. 115). </p>
			<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_ListParagraph style_ListParagraph " style="margin-left:48px; text-indent:-.635cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; margin-left:0cm; text-indent:1.27cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; ">
				<span style="font-weight:normal; padding-right:20px;">20.</span>The<span><span></span>
				</span>part of the<span><span></span>
				</span>House’s<span>
				</span>roof<span>
				</span>on which<span>
				</span>Nemeckay, Armstrong,<span><span></span>
				</span>and Worker Two all worked<span>
				</span>on June 29<span>
				</span>had a slope<span><span></span>
				</span>of<span><span></span>
				</span>3 in 12 (vertical to horizontal), and the edge of the roof was about 15 to 17 feet above ground level. (T. 158-59, 161;<span>
				</span>Exs. C-5 & C-9). Nemeckay, Armstrong, and Worker Two<span>
				</span>each<span><span></span>
				</span>accessed this part of the<span><span></span>
				</span>House’s roof<span>
				</span>on June 29<span>
				</span>by<span>
				</span>using two<span><span></span>
				</span>portable<span><span></span>
				</span>extension<span>
				</span>ladders. The<span>
				</span>side rails of<span>
				</span>those two<span>
				</span>ladders<span><span></span>
				</span>did not<span>
				</span>extend at least three feet above the upper landing surface to which the ladders were used to gain access.<span>
				</span><span><span></span>
				</span>(T.<span>
				</span>74-75,<span>
				</span>164-65;<span>
				</span>Exs. C-4<span><span></span>
				</span>&<span><span></span>
				</span>C-5).</p>
			<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_ListParagraph style_ListParagraph " style="margin-left:48px; text-indent:-.635cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; margin-left:0cm; text-indent:1.27cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; ">
				<span style="font-weight:normal; padding-right:20px;">21.</span>On June 29,<span>
				</span>Nemeckay, Armstrong,<span><span></span>
				</span>and Worker Two all worked on the roof<span>
				</span>without using any form of fall protection<span>
				</span>that<span>
				</span>would be<span>
				</span>permissible<span>
				</span>for use in residential construction work<span>
				</span>under 29 C.F.R. § 1926.501(b)(13). (T.<span>
				</span>72-73,<span>
				</span>84-85,<span>
				</span>15864; Ex. C-9).</p>
			<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_ListParagraph style_ListParagraph " style="margin-left:48px; text-indent:-.635cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; margin-left:0cm; text-indent:1.27cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; ">
				<span style="font-weight:normal; padding-right:20px;">22.</span>On June 29, Armstrong<span>
				</span>used<span><span></span>
				</span>a<span>
				</span>pneumatic<span>
				</span>nail gun<span><span></span>
				</span>to install shingles<span>
				</span>without wearing protective eyewear. Armstrong<span><span></span>
				</span>also used<span>
				</span>either a hand-held circular saw or<span>
				</span>a handheld<span>
				</span>drill<span><span></span>
				</span>without wearing any protective eyewear. Armstrong was in plain sight of<span>
				</span>Nemeckay<span><span></span>
				</span>while<span>
				</span>operating<span>
				</span>handheld<span>
				</span>power tools<span>
				</span>on the roof<span><span></span>
				</span>without wearing eye protection.<span>
				</span><span><span></span>
				</span>(T.<span>
				</span>84,<span>
				</span>154; Ex. C-5 at 6).<span><span></span>
				</span><span><span></span>
				</span>Nemeckay<span><span></span>
				</span>recorded<span><span></span>
				</span>a video<span>
				</span>(received in evidence as Exhibit<span><span></span>
				</span>C-9)<span>
				</span>that<span>
				</span>depicts<span><span></span>
				</span>Armstrong operating a<span>
				</span>handheld<span>
				</span>power tool without wearing any protective eyewear. (T. 8485). </p>
			<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_ListParagraph style_ListParagraph " style="margin-left:48px; text-indent:-.635cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; margin-left:0cm; text-indent:1.27cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; ">
				<span style="font-weight:normal; padding-right:20px;">23.</span>On June 29, 2020, Worker Two<span>
				</span>worked part of the time on the ground<span>
				</span>collecting<span><span></span>
				</span>debris<span><span></span>
				</span>while<span>
				</span>Nemeckay<span><span></span>
				</span>and Armstrong<span>
				</span>were on the roof<span><span></span>
				</span>using hand<span><span></span>
				</span>tools to install<span>
				</span>shingles. Worker Two was working in an area<span>
				</span>on the ground<span>
				</span>where there<span>
				</span>was a<span><span></span>
				</span>potential for<span>
				</span>any<span>
				</span>objects<span><span></span>
				</span>falling<span><span></span>
				</span>from the roof<span>
				</span>to<span><span></span>
				</span>strike him.<span><span></span>
				</span><span><span></span>
				</span>Worker Two was not wearing a<span><span></span>
				</span>protective helmet while in this area and was<span>
				</span>in plain sight of<span>
				</span>Nemeckay. (T.<span>
				</span>79,<span>
				</span>14445; Ex. C-5 at 3).</p>
			<div>
				<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_ListParagraph style_ListParagraph " style="margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:12px; line-height:1; text-align:center; margin-left:5.733px; "><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">OSHA<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Inspection on June 29</span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; "><span><span></span>
						</span>& Follow-up</span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; "><span><span></span>
						</span>on July 1</span></p>
			</div>
			<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_ListParagraph style_ListParagraph " style="margin-left:48px; text-indent:-.635cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; margin-left:0cm; text-indent:1.27cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; ">
				<span style="font-weight:normal; padding-right:20px;">24.</span><span><span></span>
				</span>On the morning of June 29, 2020, the CO was on duty and driving an official<span><span></span>
				</span>government<span>
				</span>auto<span><span></span>
				</span>on a public street that intersected<span>
				</span>the<span>
				</span>public street on which the House<span>
				</span>is located. (T. 91, 111). An OSHA<span>
				</span>trainee<span>
				</span>(Trainee)<span><span></span>
				</span>was riding with the CO. (T. 134). From his vantage point<span>
				</span>in the auto on the public street, the CO<span>
				</span>saw<span><span></span>
				</span>Nemeckay<span><span></span>
				</span>and Armstrong working on the roof of the House without using any discernable form of fall protection. (T. 133-35). Worker Two was working on the ground<span><span></span>
				</span>at the time. (Ex. C-5).<span>
				</span><span><span></span>
				</span><span><span></span>
				</span></p>
			<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_ListParagraph style_ListParagraph " style="margin-left:48px; text-indent:-.635cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; margin-left:0cm; text-indent:1.27cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; ">
				<span style="font-weight:normal; padding-right:20px;">25.</span>The Trainee took some photographs<span>
				</span>of the House and workers<span><span></span>
				</span>while seated in the auto when it was located on a public street. Those photographs were received in evidence at Exhibit C-5. The CO then<span>
				</span>drove<span><span></span>
				</span>the<span>
				</span>auto<span><span></span>
				</span>into the House’s driveway and parked. The CO and the Trainee both exited the<span>
				</span>auto<span><span></span>
				</span>and approached the House on foot. Once near the House, the CO<span>
				</span>attempted to get the attention of<span>
				</span>Nemeckay<span><span></span>
				</span>and Armstrong, who were on the roof. The CO<span><span></span>
				</span>stated he was from OSHA,<span><span></span>
				</span>and<span>
				</span>he<span>
				</span>displayed<span><span></span>
				</span>his official credentials. Nemeckay<span><span></span>
				</span>soon<span>
				</span>descended<span><span></span>
				</span>from the roof,<span><span></span>
				</span>and he and the CO spoke<span>
				</span>while in front of the<span>
				</span>House. (T. 136-37).<span><span></span>
				</span></p>
			<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_ListParagraph style_ListParagraph " style="margin-left:48px; text-indent:-.635cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; margin-left:0cm; text-indent:1.27cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; ">
				<span style="font-weight:normal; padding-right:20px;">26.</span>Nemeckay<span><span></span>
				</span>falsely told the CO that he was not in charge of the site. (T. 138).</p>
			<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_ListParagraph style_ListParagraph " style="margin-left:48px; text-indent:-.635cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; margin-left:0cm; text-indent:1.27cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; ">
				<span style="font-weight:normal; padding-right:20px;">27.</span>Nemeckay<span><span></span>
				</span>falsely told the CO that the roofing work was being done as a favor for the Homeowner. </p>
			<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_ListParagraph style_ListParagraph " style="margin-left:48px; text-indent:-.635cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; margin-left:0cm; text-indent:1.27cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; ">
				<span style="font-weight:normal; padding-right:20px;">28.</span>Nemeckay<span><span></span>
				</span>falsely told the CO that<span>
				</span>the Homeowner<span>
				</span>was his cousin. (T. 39; 138).</p>
			<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_ListParagraph style_ListParagraph " style="margin-left:48px; text-indent:-.635cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; margin-left:0cm; text-indent:1.27cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; ">
				<span style="font-weight:normal; padding-right:20px;">29.</span>Nemeckay<span><span></span>
				</span>falsely told the CO that he was not being paid for the work. (T. 138).</p>
			<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_ListParagraph style_ListParagraph " style="margin-left:48px; text-indent:-.635cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; margin-left:0cm; text-indent:1.27cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; ">
				<span style="font-weight:normal; padding-right:20px;">30.</span>Nemeckay<span><span></span>
				</span>told the CO that he was not paying the other two workers for their work. (T. 138). <span><span></span>
				</span>(The evidence is not preponderant<span>
				</span>as to whether<span><span></span>
				</span>this statement was truthful<span><span></span>
				</span>or false). </p>
			<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_ListParagraph style_ListParagraph " style="margin-left:48px; text-indent:-.635cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; margin-left:0cm; text-indent:1.27cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; ">
				<span style="font-weight:normal; padding-right:20px;">31.</span>The CO then asked<span>
				</span>Nemeckay<span><span></span>
				</span>questions to follow-up on<span>
				</span>his<span>
				</span>representations about the work<span>
				</span>not being done for pay but<span>
				</span>rather<span>
				</span>as<span><span></span>
				</span>a<span>
				</span>favor<span>
				</span>for a relative. He posed these questions<span>
				</span>to<span>
				</span>glean<span>
				</span>more information to assess whether an OSHA investigation would be<span>
				</span>appropriate<span>
				</span>considering<span><span></span>
				</span>Nemeckay’s<span><span></span>
				</span>representations. (T. 138-39). Instead of answering those inquiries,<span>
				</span>however,<span>
				</span>Nemeckay<span><span></span>
				</span>asked the CO for a search warrant, which the CO did not have. </p>
			<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_ListParagraph style_ListParagraph " style="margin-left:48px; text-indent:-.635cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; margin-left:0cm; text-indent:1.27cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; ">
				<span style="font-weight:normal; padding-right:20px;">32.</span>Even though the CO believed that a<span>
				</span>search<span>
				</span>warrant was not required unless the Homeowner<span>
				</span>were to<span>
				</span>have<span>
				</span>refused<span><span></span>
				</span>consent to the inspection,<span>
				</span>Nemeckay<span><span></span>
				</span>became hostile and aggressive toward the CO,<span><span></span>
				</span>so<span><span></span>
				</span>“to avoid conflict”<span>
				</span>the CO<span>
				</span>decided that he and the Trainee<span>
				</span>ought to<span><span></span>
				</span>“back up” from<span>
				</span>Nemeckay<span><span></span>
				</span>and<span>
				</span>leave the premises. (T. 139). </p>
			<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_ListParagraph style_ListParagraph " style="margin-left:48px; text-indent:-.635cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; margin-left:0cm; text-indent:1.27cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; ">
				<span style="font-weight:normal; padding-right:20px;">33.</span>Nemeckay<span><span></span>
				</span>used<span>
				</span>the camera on<span>
				</span>his cell phone to make a 31second video that showed the CO and the Trainee departing. At the beginning of the<span>
				</span>video,<span>
				</span>the CO and the Trainee<span>
				</span>have begun<span>
				</span>to<span>
				</span>get back in the auto<span>
				</span>and<span>
				</span>Nemeckay<span><span></span>
				</span>is<span>
				</span>approaching<span><span></span>
				</span>the<span><span></span>
				</span>auto<span>
				</span>on foot. The video ends<span><span></span>
				</span>when<span><span></span>
				</span>the<span>
				</span>auto<span><span></span>
				</span>has<span>
				</span>backed<span>
				</span>up to the end of the driveway. Nemeckay<span><span></span>
				</span>later posted the video on social media for anyone to see and hear. (T. 87, 14142). The<span><span></span>
				</span>video was received in evidence as Exhibit C-10. In the video,<span>
				</span>Nemeckay<span><span></span>
				</span>is heard<span>
				</span>shouting<span>
				</span>the following<span>
				</span>at the CO and the Trainee as they are departing the grounds:<span>
				</span></p>
			<div>
				<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_ListParagraph style_ListParagraph " style="margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:16px; line-height:normal; text-align:justify; margin-left:96px; margin-right:96px; ">Get out of here! What are you<span>
					</span>wantin',<span><span></span>
					</span>you<span>
					</span>harassin'<span><span></span>
					</span>us? We’re<span>
					</span>workin'! We’re<span>
					</span>workin'! Get the f*** out of here! I got your license<span>
					</span>number. Good.<span>
					</span><span><span></span>
					</span>Get out of here! You’re both, you’re both<span><span></span>
					</span>bull****. Government! Ain’t<span><span></span>
					</span>ya<span><span></span>
					</span>got,<span><span></span>
					</span>where’s your masks at? Where’s your masks government? Where’s your masks at [vulgarity]? Where’s your mask? Come on! Where’s your masks at? Corona! Piece of s***!<span>
					</span><span><span></span>
					</span></p>
			</div>
			<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_ListParagraph style_ListParagraph " style="margin-left:48px; text-indent:-.635cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; margin-left:0cm; text-indent:1.27cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; ">
				<span style="font-weight:normal; padding-right:20px;">34.</span>Altogether, the CO and the Trainee were on the grounds of the House<span>
				</span>on June 29<span>
				</span>for about five minutes. (T. 119, 138). The CO did not<span>
				</span>have the opportunity before departing the grounds to<span>
				</span>interview Armstrong, Worker Two, or the Homeowner<span>
				</span>(who<span>
				</span>had been<span><span></span>
				</span>inside the House the entire time that the CO was on the grounds). (T. 119). </p>
			<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_ListParagraph style_ListParagraph " style="margin-left:48px; text-indent:-.635cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; margin-left:0cm; text-indent:1.27cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; ">
				<span style="font-weight:normal; padding-right:20px;">35.</span>Soon after<span>
				</span>the<span>
				</span>CO’s departure,<span>
				</span>Nemeckay<span><span></span>
				</span>told the Homeowner that OSHA officials had been there. The Homeowner had heard some “commotion” as the CO was backing the auto out of the driveway,<span>
				</span>but<span>
				</span>the<span>
				</span>Homeowner<span>
				</span>had no<span><span></span>
				</span>contact with the CO on June 29. The Homeowner<span><span></span>
				</span>did not<span>
				</span>refuse<span>
				</span>consent<span>
				</span>or otherwise communicate any objection to the<span><span></span>
				</span>CO and the Trainee being<span><span></span>
				</span>on the House’s grounds<span><span></span>
				</span>to inspect<span><span></span>
				</span>and investigate. (T. 120; Ex. C-10).<span>
				</span></p>
			<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_ListParagraph style_ListParagraph " style="margin-left:48px; text-indent:-.635cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; margin-left:0cm; text-indent:1.27cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; ">
				<span style="font-weight:normal; padding-right:20px;">36.</span>Nemeckay<span><span></span>
				</span>showed<span>
				</span>the<span>
				</span>31-second<span>
				</span>video<span>
				</span>he had made<span>
				</span>to<span>
				</span>the Homeowner. (T. 120; Ex. C10). Nemeckay<span><span></span>
				</span>asked the Homeowner<span><span></span>
				</span>to falsely<span>
				</span>tell<span><span></span>
				</span>any OSHA officials who might later contact the Homeowner<span>
				</span>that<span>
				</span>he and<span>
				</span>Nemeckay<span><span></span>
				</span>were relatives. (T. 120).</p>
			<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_ListParagraph style_ListParagraph " style="margin-left:48px; text-indent:-.635cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; margin-left:0cm; text-indent:1.27cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; ">
				<span style="font-weight:normal; padding-right:20px;">37.</span>About two days later, the CO returned to the House accompanied by two deputy sheriffs<span><span></span>
				</span>to<span>
				</span>interview the Homeowner to verify<span>
				</span>the<span>
				</span>representations<span>
				</span>that<span>
				</span>Nemeckay<span><span></span>
				</span>had made to<span><span></span>
				</span>the CO<span>
				</span>about<span>
				</span>Nemeckay<span><span></span>
				</span>and the Homeowner<span>
				</span>being<span><span></span>
				</span>cousins and the roofing work being done without charge. (T. 142-43). The CO first asked the Homeowner whether<span>
				</span>Nemeckay<span><span></span>
				</span>was his uncle, and the Homeowner falsely responded affirmatively. The CO then<span>
				</span>informed<span>
				</span>the Homeowner that<span>
				</span>Nemeckay<span><span></span>
				</span>had<span>
				</span>told the CO<span><span></span>
				</span>that they<span><span></span>
				</span>were cousins (not nephew and uncle), and<span>
				</span>in response<span>
				</span>the Homeowner falsely told the CO<span>
				</span>that<span>
				</span>he and<span>
				</span>Nemeckay<span><span></span>
				</span>were “like cousins.” And<span>
				</span>then the<span>
				</span>Homeowner<span><span></span>
				</span>gave a<span><span></span>
				</span>third<span><span></span>
				</span>answer, this time<span>
				</span>falsely stating<span>
				</span>that<span>
				</span>he<span><span></span>
				</span>and<span>
				</span>Nemeckay<span><span></span>
				</span>were<span><span></span>
				</span>“just real good friends.” (T. 143). </p>
			<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_ListParagraph style_ListParagraph " style="margin-left:48px; text-indent:-.635cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; margin-left:0cm; text-indent:1.27cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; ">
				<span style="font-weight:normal; padding-right:20px;">38.</span>At the hearing, the Homeowner admitted<span>
				</span>in sworn testimony<span>
				</span>that he had lied to the CO about having a familial or social relationship with<span>
				</span>Nemeckay, explaining that he had<span>
				</span>done so because he<span>
				</span>“just wanted this thing to blow over smoothly and be done with it.” (T. 121).</p>
			<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_ListParagraph style_ListParagraph " style="margin-left:48px; text-indent:-.635cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; margin-left:0cm; text-indent:1.27cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; ">
				<span style="font-weight:normal; padding-right:20px;">39.</span>The Homeowner truthfully told the CO that he did not know the identity of the other two individuals working with<span>
				</span>Nemeckay<span><span></span>
				</span>(Armstrong and Worker Two),<span><span></span>
				</span>and<span>
				</span>he truthfully told the CO<span>
				</span>that he believed<span>
				</span>Nemeckay<span><span></span>
				</span>had<span>
				</span>arranged for their presence. (T. 143). </p>
			<div>
				<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_ListParagraph style_ListParagraph " style="margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:12px; line-height:1; text-align:center; margin-left:5.733px; "><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Facts<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Bearing on<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Whether<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Nemeckay</span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; "><span><span></span>
						</span>Had a<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Master-Servant Relationship</span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; "><br/>with Armstrong or Worker Two</span></p>
			</div>
			<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_ListParagraph style_ListParagraph " style="margin-left:48px; text-indent:-.635cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; margin-left:0cm; text-indent:1.27cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; ">
				<span style="font-weight:normal; padding-right:20px;">40.</span>On<span>
				</span>his 2019 and 2020 federal tax returns,<span>
				</span>Nemeckay<span><span></span>
				</span>reported labor costs<span><span></span>
				</span>in the operation of his construction business<span>
				</span>(exclusive of monies he paid himself)<span>
				</span>to have been respectively $11,800 and $12,800. (Ex. C-7,<span>
				</span>at<span><span></span>
				</span>6 & 22 [Sched. C, Line 37]; T. 3435). In both tax returns,<span>
				</span>Nemeckay<span><span></span>
				</span>checked a box to<span>
				</span>indicate<span>
				</span>that he<span>
				</span>had made payments<span><span></span>
				</span>in his construction business<span><span></span>
				</span>that would require him to file IRS Form 1099<span><span></span>
				</span>(which would<span>
				</span>represent payments of nonemployment income<span>
				</span>that<span>
				</span>Nemeckay<span><span></span>
				</span>had<span>
				</span>made to another taxpayer). (Ex. C-7 at<span>
				</span>5<span><span></span>
				</span>& 21 [Schedule C, Lines I & J]). Both tax returns also indicated that<span>
				</span>in the operation of his construction business<span>
				</span>Nemeckay<span><span></span>
				</span>had not<span>
				</span>paid any<span>
				</span>wages. (Ex. C-7 at<span>
				</span>5<span><span></span>
				</span>& 21 [Schedule C, Line 26]).<span>
				</span></p>
			<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_ListParagraph style_ListParagraph " style="margin-left:48px; text-indent:-.635cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; margin-left:0cm; text-indent:1.27cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; ">
				<span style="font-weight:normal; padding-right:20px;">41.</span>Nemeckay<span><span></span>
				</span>applied for and received a<span>
				</span>federal<span>
				</span>Paycheck Protection Program<span><span></span>
				</span>loan of<span><span></span>
				</span>$8,130 in April 2021. (T. 35-37). He testified that he had not obtained the loan to make any payroll payments and that he believed he would have been eligible for a larger loan if he<span>
				</span>had<span>
				</span>had any employees to pay. (T. 3537, 108). There is no evidence that<span>
				</span>Nemeckay<span><span></span>
				</span>has applied to have that loan forgiven. (T. 37).</p>
			<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_ListParagraph style_ListParagraph " style="margin-left:48px; text-indent:-.635cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; margin-left:0cm; text-indent:1.27cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; ">
				<span style="font-weight:normal; padding-right:20px;">42.</span>Nemeckay<span><span></span>
				</span>has known Armstrong for about 25 years, and he describes Armstrong as being like a son to him. (T. 50-51). Nemeckay<span><span></span>
				</span>testified that “every now and again” he calls on Armstrong to help him with his jobs “if I ever need a hand or something,” and that he has never paid Armstrong for that help. (T. 51-52). Nemeckay<span><span></span>
				</span>testified that Armstrong learned how to install shingles from him. (T. 52-53). Nemeckay<span><span></span>
				</span>testified further that<span>
				</span>he did not know what Armstrong does to make a living “right now,” but that he understands that<span>
				</span>Armstrong<span>
				</span>sometimes<span>
				</span>does construction work. (T. 50).<span>
				</span></p>
			<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_ListParagraph style_ListParagraph " style="margin-left:48px; text-indent:-.635cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; margin-left:0cm; text-indent:1.27cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; ">
				<span style="font-weight:normal; padding-right:20px;">43.</span>There is no<span>
				</span>affirmative<span><span></span>
				</span>evidence that<span>
				</span>Nemeckay<span><span></span>
				</span>paid either Armstrong or Worker Two for their work, and the only<span>
				</span>direct<span>
				</span>evidence<span>
				</span>bearing on this issue of fact is<span>
				</span>Nemeckay’s<span><span></span>
				</span>testimony that he did not pay either of them.<span class="style_DefaultParagraphFont style_DefaultParagraphFont style_FootnoteReference style_FootnoteReference " style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><a name="ftnref2" href="#ftn2">1</a></span><span><span></span>
				</span><span><span></span>
				</span>(T. 51, 77-78).<span>
				</span><span><span></span>
				</span></p>
			<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_ListParagraph style_ListParagraph " style="margin-left:48px; text-indent:-.635cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; margin-left:0cm; text-indent:1.27cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; ">
				<span style="font-weight:normal; padding-right:20px;">44.</span>Armstrong lives about 25 miles from the House. Nemeckay<span><span></span>
				</span>provided Armstrong with the House’s address, and Armstrong drove there in his own auto on both June 29 and 30. (T. 54-55, 60). </p>
			<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_ListParagraph style_ListParagraph " style="margin-left:48px; text-indent:-.635cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; margin-left:0cm; text-indent:1.27cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; ">
				<span style="font-weight:normal; padding-right:20px;">45.</span>Worker Two arrived at the House on June 29 in a separate vehicle. (T. 116). </p>
			<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_ListParagraph style_ListParagraph " style="margin-left:48px; text-indent:-.635cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; margin-left:0cm; text-indent:1.27cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; ">
				<span style="font-weight:normal; padding-right:20px;">46.</span>The<span>
				</span>two<span>
				</span>ladders that<span>
				</span>Nemeckay, Armstrong, and Worker Two used to access the roof belonged to the Homeowner. (T. 123). </p>
			<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_ListParagraph style_ListParagraph " style="margin-left:48px; text-indent:-.635cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; margin-left:0cm; text-indent:1.27cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; ">
				<span style="font-weight:normal; padding-right:20px;">47.</span>Both<span>
				</span>Nemeckay<span><span></span>
				</span>and Armstrong used<span>
				</span>Nemeckay’s<span><span></span>
				</span>pneumatic nail gun to install the shingles, but they used the Homeowner’s compressor and air hose to power the nail gun. (T. 62, 65, 72, 123, 125).<span>
				</span></p>
			<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_ListParagraph style_ListParagraph " style="margin-left:48px; text-indent:-.635cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; margin-left:0cm; text-indent:1.27cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; ">
				<span style="font-weight:normal; padding-right:20px;">48.</span>Nemeckay<span><span></span>
				</span>testified that if Armstrong<span>
				</span>were to have<span>
				</span>used<span><span></span>
				</span>a hammer instead of a nail gun to install the shingles on the House that “[i]t would have been fine” with<span>
				</span>Nemeckay<span><span></span>
				</span>even though it is faster to install the shingles with a nail gun<span><span></span>
				</span>than with a hammer. (T. 65).<span>
				</span></p>
			<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_ListParagraph style_ListParagraph " style="margin-left:48px; text-indent:-.635cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; margin-left:0cm; text-indent:1.27cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; ">
				<span style="font-weight:normal; padding-right:20px;">49.</span>Nemeckay<span><span></span>
				</span>brought a power drill to use<span>
				</span>to do the roofing<span>
				</span>work. (T. 85-86). </p>
			<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_ListParagraph style_ListParagraph " style="margin-left:48px; text-indent:-.635cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; margin-left:0cm; text-indent:1.27cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; ">
				<span style="font-weight:normal; padding-right:20px;">50.</span>Armstrong did not use any of his own tools in doing the roofing work. (T. 128). </p>
			<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_ListParagraph style_ListParagraph " style="margin-left:48px; text-indent:-.635cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; margin-left:0cm; text-indent:1.27cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; ">
				<span style="font-weight:normal; padding-right:20px;">51.</span>There is no evidence what tools, if any, Worker Two used in assisting<span>
				</span>Nemeckay<span><span></span>
				</span>on June 29.</p>
			<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_ListParagraph style_ListParagraph " style="margin-left:48px; text-indent:-.635cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; margin-left:0cm; text-indent:1.27cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; ">
				<span style="font-weight:normal; padding-right:20px;">52.</span>With respect to providing or requiring workers to use safety equipment on a job site,<span>
				</span>Nemeckay<span><span></span>
				</span>testified that he believed no fall protection was necessary for the work atop the House’s roof because the roof was “almost flat” with<span><span></span>
				</span>its<span><span></span>
				</span>slope of<span><span></span>
				</span>3 in 12. (T. 70). With respect to eye protection,<span>
				</span>Nemeckay<span><span></span>
				</span>testified, “I always make sure people wear safety glasses” and that it was possible that<span>
				</span>Nemeckay<span><span></span>
				</span>had provided to Armstrong the eyewear that Armstrong had<span>
				</span>placed on<span><span></span>
				</span>top of his head (not protecting his eyes) when Armstrong was using a pneumatic nail gun. (T. 71). Nemeckay<span><span></span>
				</span>testified that he<span>
				</span>ended<span><span></span>
				</span>work<span>
				</span>before noon on<span>
				</span>June 29 in part because it had gotten hot. (T. 57-58).</p>
			<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_ListParagraph style_ListParagraph " style="margin-left:48px; text-indent:-.635cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; margin-left:0cm; text-indent:1.27cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; ">
				<span style="font-weight:normal; padding-right:20px;">53.</span>The Homeowner did not<span>
				</span>arrange for<span>
				</span>Worker Two to assist<span>
				</span>Nemeckay. The Homeowner was not acquainted with either Armstrong or Worker Two. The Homeowner did not pay Armstrong or Worker Two for their work. (T. 123).</p>
			<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_ListParagraph style_ListParagraph " style="margin-left:48px; text-indent:-.635cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; margin-left:0cm; text-indent:1.27cm; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; ">
				<span style="font-weight:normal; padding-right:20px;">54.</span>As indicated in the “Discussion” section that follows this paragraph, it is likely that<span>
				</span>Nemeckay’s<span><span></span>
				</span>hearing<span>
				</span>testimony as to the following was<span><span></span>
				</span>knowingly false: (a) that he did not recall<span>
				</span>how long he had known the Homeowner (T. 38), (b) that he did not recall whether the Homeowner had asked him to make a bid on installing the shingles (T. 40), (c) that<span>
				</span>the Homeowner did not offer to pay him<span>
				</span>to do the job<span><span></span>
				</span>(T. 40), (d)<span><span></span>
				</span>that<span>
				</span>he<span><span></span>
				</span>believed the Homeowner had<span>
				</span>arranged for<span>
				</span>Worker Two to help<span>
				</span>him<span><span></span>
				</span>do the roofing work<span><span></span>
				</span>(T. 77-78), (e) that the Homeowner directed Worker Two to<span>
				</span>help<span>
				</span>him<span>
				</span>move the<span>
				</span>shingles<span>
				</span>onto the rooftop<span><span></span>
				</span>(T. 78), (f) that<span>
				</span>he<span><span></span>
				</span>had never met Worker Two before June 29, 2020<span><span></span>
				</span>(T. 77),<span><span></span>
				</span>(g) that<span>
				</span>he<span><span></span>
				</span>did not know<span>
				</span>who<span>
				</span>Worker Two<span><span></span>
				</span>was and had never seen him before (T. 7677), (h) that<span>
				</span>he<span><span></span>
				</span>did<span>
				</span>not ask Worker Two<span>
				</span>to help him with the roofing job<span><span></span>
				</span>(T. 79),<span><span></span>
				</span>(i) that<span>
				</span>he<span><span></span>
				</span>did not know how or when Worker Two arrived at the House<span><span></span>
				</span>(T. 77),<span><span></span>
				</span>(j) that<span>
				</span>he<span><span></span>
				</span>did not ask the Homeowner to tell OSHA officials that he and the Homeowner were cousins<span>
				</span>(T. 99), (k) that<span>
				</span>he<span><span></span>
				</span>did not<span>
				</span>ask<span><span></span>
				</span>the Homeowner to tell OSHA officials that<span>
				</span>the roofing work was not a “job.” (T. 99).<span>
				</span></p>
			<div>
				<p style="margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:12px; text-align:center; "><span style="font-weight:bold; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; ">DISCUSSION</span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="line-height:2; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; ">The Commission obtained jurisdiction under section 10(c) of the Act upon<span>
					</span>Nemeckay’s<span><span></span>
					</span>timely filing of a notice of contest. 29 U.S.C. § 659(c). </p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:12px; text-align:center; "><span style="font-weight:bold; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; ">Whether<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-weight:bold; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; ">Nemeckay</span><span style="font-weight:bold; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; "><span><span></span>
						</span>Had a<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-weight:bold; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; ">Constitutionally Protected</span><span style="font-weight:bold; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; "><br/></span><span style="font-weight:bold; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; ">Reasonable Expectation of Privacy</span><span style="font-weight:bold; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; "><br/></span><span style="font-weight:bold; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; ">While Engaged in<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-weight:bold; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; ">Business</span><span style="font-weight:bold; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-weight:bold; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; ">Activit</span><span style="font-weight:bold; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; ">y</span><span style="font-weight:bold; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; "><span><span></span>
						</span>on the House’s<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-weight:bold; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; ">Rooftop and Grounds</span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="line-height:2; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; ">Nemeckay<span><span></span>
					</span>contends that the warrantless inspection<span>
					</span>on<span><span></span>
					</span>June 29<span><span></span>
					</span>violated his Fourth Amendment<span><span></span>
					</span>right to be free of unreasonable searches<span><span></span>
					</span>and seizures. </p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="line-height:2; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; ">The Fourth Amendment governs<span><span></span>
					</span>non-consensual<span><span></span>
					</span>inspections conducted pursuant to the OSH Act, and<span>
					</span>those<span>
					</span>administrative inspections are subject to the<span><span></span>
					</span>Fourth Amendment’s<span><span></span>
					</span>warrant requirement. <span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Marshall v. Barlow's, Inc.</span>, 436 U.S. 307 (1978). </p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="line-height:2; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; ">“The Fourth Amendment protects against intrusions only into areas where an individual has a reasonable expectation of privacy.” <span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">L.R. Willson & Sons, Inc.</span>, 17 BNA OSHC 2059, 2060 (No. 94-1546, 1997),<span>
					</span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">aff'd in</span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; "><span><span></span>
						</span>relevant</span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; "><span><span></span>
						</span>part</span>, 134 F.3d 1235, 1238<span><span></span>
					</span>(4th Cir. 1998)<span><span></span>
					</span>(finding no Fourth<span>
					</span>Amendment violation);<span style="color:#212121; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-style:italic; color:#212121; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Oliver v. United States</span><span style="color:#212121; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">, 466 U.S. 170, 177 (1984)</span><span style="color:#212121; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>(“</span><span style="color:#212121; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">the touchstone of<span>
						</span></span><span style="color:#212121; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">[Fourth]<span>
						</span></span><span style="color:#212121; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Amendment analysis has been the question whether a person has a constitutionally protected reasonable expectation of privacy</span><span style="color:#212121; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">”). </span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="line-height:2; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; ">Nemeckay<span><span></span>
					</span>had no reasonable expectation of privacy respecting<span>
					</span>any<span>
					</span>of his<span>
					</span>activities<span>
					</span>that<span>
					</span>the CO observed from<span>
					</span>the CO’s<span><span></span>
					</span>position<span><span></span>
					</span>while<span><span></span>
					</span>seated in<span>
					</span>the government vehicle<span>
					</span>on<span>
					</span>a<span><span></span>
					</span>public street<span><span></span>
					</span>(which is the vantage point<span>
					</span>from which the photographs in Exhibit C-5<span><span></span>
					</span>were taken). <span style="font-style:italic; color:#212121; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Reg</span><span style="font-style:italic; color:#212121; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">’</span><span style="font-style:italic; color:#212121; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">l Scaffolding & Hoisting Co., Inc.</span><span style="color:#212121; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">, 17 BNA OSHC 2067, 2069 (No. 93-577, 1997) (</span><span style="color:#212121; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">ruling that<span>
						</span></span><span style="color:#212121; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">where the respondent’s activities were<span>
						</span></span><span style="color:#212121; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">viewable from a vantage point in a public place</span><span style="color:#212121; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">, the r</span><span style="color:#212121; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">espondent had<span>
						</span></span><span style="color:#212121; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">no reas</span><span style="color:#212121; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">onable e</span><span style="color:#212121; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">xpect</span><span style="color:#212121; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">ation of<span>
						</span></span><span style="color:#212121; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">privacy</span><span style="color:#212121; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>protectable under Fourth Amendment</span><span style="color:#212121; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">)</span><span style="color:#212121; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">.</span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="line-height:2; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; ">As for the approximately five<span><span></span>
					</span>minutes that<span><span></span>
					</span>the CO and Trainee were on the House’s grounds,<span>
					</span>Nemeckay<span><span></span>
					</span>has<span>
					</span>failed to “demonstrate that he personally has an expectation of privacy in the place searched, and that his expectation is<span>
					</span>reasonable;<span><span></span>
					</span>i.e., one that has a source outside of the Fourth Amendment, either by reference to concepts of real or personal property law or to understandings that are recognized and permitted by society.” <span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Minnesota v. Carter</span>, 525 U.S. 83, 88 (1998), quoting<span>
					</span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Rakas v. Illinois</span>, 439 U.S. 128, 143-44<span><span></span>
					</span>(1978). Nemeckay<span><span></span>
					</span>was present on the<span>
					</span>rooftop and<span>
					</span>grounds of<span>
					</span>the<span>
					</span>House<span>
					</span>solely for the purpose of<span>
					</span>engaging<span><span></span>
					</span>in his<span>
					</span>business<span>
					</span>enterprise, and he<span><span></span>
					</span>had no previous connection with the House or the Homeowner. <span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Cf.</span><span><span></span>
					</span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Minnesota v. Carter</span>, 525 U.S. at 91 (ruling<span>
					</span>that<span><span></span>
					</span>with respect to a<span><span></span>
					</span>commercial invitee’s challenge to a<span>
					</span>warrantless<span>
					</span>observation through an exterior window into<span><span></span>
					</span>the<span>
					</span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">interior</span><span><span></span>
					</span>of<span>
					</span>another’s<span><span></span>
					</span>residence, that<span><span></span>
					</span>“the purely commercial nature of the transaction engaged in here, the relatively short period of time on the premises, and the lack of any previous connection between respondents and the householder, all lead us to conclude that respondents' situation is closer to that of one simply permitted on the premises” and<span>
					</span>thus<span>
					</span>not to have any protectable privacy interests<span><span></span>
					</span>under the Fourth Amendment). </p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="line-height:2; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; ">Further, when the CO decided to depart the<span>
					</span>grounds<span><span></span>
					</span>moments after<span>
					</span>Nemeckay<span><span></span>
					</span>asked the CO<span>
					</span>about<span>
					</span>a<span>
					</span>search<span>
					</span>warrant, the CO effectively<span><span></span>
					</span>acceded to<span>
					</span>Nemeckay’s<span><span></span>
					</span>apparent withholding of consent to<span>
					</span>continue<span>
					</span>the inspection<span>
					</span>(notwithstanding that<span>
					</span>Nemeckay’s<span><span></span>
					</span>consent was not constitutionally<span>
					</span>mandated).<span>
					</span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="line-height:2; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; ">For these reasons, the evidence fails to establish that the inspection on June 29 violated<span>
					</span>Nemeckay’s<span><span></span>
					</span>rights under the Fourth Amendment.</p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:12px; text-align:center; "><span style="font-weight:bold; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; ">Whether<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-weight:bold; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; ">Nemeckay</span><span style="font-weight:bold; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-weight:bold; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; ">Wa</span><span style="font-weight:bold; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; ">s an “Employer”</span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="line-height:2; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; "><span style="color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Section 3(5) of the Act defines the t</span><span style="color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">erm “employer” as “a person engaged in a business affecting commerce who has employees.”</span><span class="style_DefaultParagraphFont style_DefaultParagraphFont style_FootnoteReference style_FootnoteReference " style="color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><a name="ftnref3" href="#ftn3">2</a></span><span style="color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">
					</span><span style="color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">29 U.S.C. §</span><span style="color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "> </span><span style="color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">652(5).</span><span style="color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">
					</span><span style="color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Only an “employer”</span><span style="color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">as defined<span>
						</span></span><span style="color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">may be cited for a violation of<span>
						</span></span><span style="color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">occupational</span><span style="color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">safety and<span>
						</span></span><span style="color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">health standards promulgated<span>
						</span></span><span style="color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">under the<span>
						</span></span><span style="color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Act. 29 U.S.C. §</span><span style="color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "> </span><span style="color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">658(a);<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Allstate Painting & Contracting</span>, 21 BNA OSHC 1033, 1035 (No. 971631, 2005) (consolidated).<span style="color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">The Secretary bears the burden of establishing<span>
						</span></span><span style="color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">that<span>
						</span></span><span style="color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">the</span><span style="color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>cited<span>
						</span></span><span style="color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">respondent<span>
						</span></span><span style="color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">is an<span>
						</span></span><span style="color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">“</span><span style="color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">employer</span><span style="color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">” as defined<span>
						</span></span><span style="color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">by<span>
						</span></span><span style="color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">section 3(5). </span><span style="font-style:italic; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">See Lake<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-style:italic; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">C</span><span style="font-style:italic; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">nty</span><span style="font-style:italic; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">.</span><span style="font-style:italic; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; "><span><span></span>
						</span>Sewer Co., Inc.</span><span style="color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">, 22 BNA OSHC 1522, 1523 (</span><span style="color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">No. 07-1786</span><span style="color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">, 2009).</span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="line-height:2; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; ">Nemeckay<span><span></span>
					</span>denies that<span>
					</span>he<span><span></span>
					</span>meets either prong of the Act’s definition of the term “employer.”<span><span></span>
					</span><span><span></span>
					</span>He denies<span>
					</span>(1)<span>
					</span>that he<span>
					</span>is “engaged in a business affecting commerce,”<span>
					</span>and<span><span></span>
					</span>(2)<span>
					</span>that he<span>
					</span>“has employees.”<span style="font-weight:bold; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-weight:bold; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:12px; text-align:center; "><span style="font-weight:bold; font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; font-style:italic; ">Whether<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-weight:bold; font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; font-style:italic; ">Nemeckay</span><span style="font-weight:bold; font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; font-style:italic; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-weight:bold; font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; font-style:italic; ">“</span><span style="font-weight:bold; font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; font-style:italic; ">Engaged in a Business Affecting Commerce</span><span style="font-weight:bold; font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; font-style:italic; ">”</span><span style="font-weight:bold; font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; font-style:italic; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="line-height:2; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; ">Even though<span>
					</span>Nemeckay’s<span><span></span>
					</span>sole proprietorship is a small business<span><span></span>
					</span>in the construction industry,<span>
					</span>that<span><span></span>
					</span>small business<span>
					</span>nevertheless<span>
					</span>constitutes a<span>
					</span><span style="color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">“</span><span style="color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">business affecting commer</span><span style="color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">ce”<span>
						</span></span><span style="color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">under</span><span style="color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">section 3(5).</span>
					<span style="font-style:italic; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Slingluff v. OSHRC</span><span style="color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">, 425 F.3d<span>
						</span></span><span style="color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">861, 865 (10</span><span style="color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">th</span><span style="color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>Cir. 2005) (holding that a small stuccoing business<span>
						</span></span><span style="color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">i</span><span style="color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">s a business affect</span><span style="color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">ing</span><span style="color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>commerce because the “</span><span style="color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">economic activity of stuccoing/construction, as an aggregate, affects interstate commerce</span><span style="color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">”);<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-style:italic; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Clarence M. Jones</span><span style="color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">, 11 BNA OSHC 1529, 1531 (No. 77-3676, 1983)</span><span style="color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>(holding that construction work is within the class of activities Congress intended to regulate</span><span style="color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>under the Act</span><span style="color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">).</span><span style="font-style:italic; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>The Secretary has<span>
						</span></span><span style="color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">established that<span>
						</span></span><span style="color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Nemeckay</span><span style="color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>is<span>
						</span></span><span style="color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">“</span><span style="color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">a person<span>
						</span></span><span style="color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">engaged in a business affecting commerce” within the meaning of section 3(5).</span><span><span></span>
					</span><span><span></span>
					</span>(Findings<span><span></span>
					</span>of Fact ¶ 1).</p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:12px; text-align:center; "><span style="font-weight:bold; font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; font-style:italic; ">Whether<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-weight:bold; font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; font-style:italic; ">Nemeckay</span><span style="font-weight:bold; font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; font-style:italic; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-weight:bold; font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; font-style:italic; ">“</span><span style="font-weight:bold; font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; font-style:italic; ">Has Employees</span><span style="font-weight:bold; font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; font-style:italic; ">”</span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="line-height:2; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; "><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">The Secretary alleges that both Armstrong and Worker Two<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">were<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Nemeckay’s</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">employees<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">during</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>the two-day roofing job at the House</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">. The Secretary d</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">oes</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>not assert<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">and did not<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">seek to prove<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">that<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">any other individuals were<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Nemeckay</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">’s</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>employees</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">.</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "> (</span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">See</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>Sec’y’s closing oral argument, T. 199-208.)</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">
					</span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="line-height:2; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; "><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Having “</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">one single employee is sufficient to invoke coverage under the Act.</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">” </span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Don Davis</span>, 19 BNA OSHC 1477,<span>
					</span>1479<span><span></span>
					</span>(No. 96-1378, 2001).<span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">So, t</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">o establish that<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Nemeckay</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>was covered by the Act, the Secretary<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">was required to establish that<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">either Armstrong or Worker Two</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>w</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">as</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Nemeckay’s</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>employee</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">. </span><span style="font-style:italic; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Lake<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-style:italic; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">C</span><span style="font-style:italic; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">nty</span><span style="font-style:italic; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">.</span><span style="font-style:italic; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; "><span><span></span>
						</span>Sewer Co., Inc.</span><span style="color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">, 22 BNA OSHC at 1523</span><span style="color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">.</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>As discussed below, the evidence is insufficient to establish that either</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>of them was<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Nemeckay’s</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>employee</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">.</span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="line-height:2; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; "><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">In determining whether an identified worker<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">relates to a putative employer as<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">either<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">an employee or as an independent contractor</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">,<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">both the Commission and the Sixth Circuit Court of<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Appeals</span><span class="style_DefaultParagraphFont style_DefaultParagraphFont style_FootnoteReference style_FootnoteReference " style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><a name="ftnref4" href="#ftn4">3</a></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">appl</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">y</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>the</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">common law<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">agency<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">test<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">described</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">in<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Nationwide Mut. Ins. Co. v. Darden</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">(</span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Darden</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">),</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>503 U.S. 318 (1992)</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">.<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">See<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">All Star Realty Co.</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">, 24 BNA OSHC 1356, 1358-59 (No.</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">12</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">1597,</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">2014) (applying<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Darden</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">in determining whether two individuals were statutory employees of the cited company</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">)</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">;<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Absolute Roofing & Constr., Inc. v. Sec’y of Labor</span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">(</span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Absolute Roofing</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">)</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">, 580 F.<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">App</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">’</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">x</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>357</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>(6th Cir. 2014)<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">(</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">applying<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Darden</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>in<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">affirming Commission Judge’s decision that<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">an individual was<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">an</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>employee and not an independent contractor)<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">(unpublished)</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">;<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">see also</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Clackamas Gastroenterology Assocs., P.C. v. Wells</span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span>(<span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Clackamas</span>),<span><span></span>
					</span>538 U.S. 440,<span>
					</span>445 n.5<span><span></span>
					</span>(2003)<span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">(noting that the<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Darden</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">test is<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">geared toward “</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">drawing a line between independent contractors and employees</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">”)</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">;<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Froedtert Mem. Lutheran Hosp., Inc.</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">(</span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Froedtert</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">)</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">, 20 BNA OSHC 1500</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">,</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>1506</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>(No.</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "> </span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">97</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">1839, 2004)</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>(noting that the<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Darden</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>test “</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">generally envisions a two</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">dimensional focus<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">[of]</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>whether the worker relates to a putative employer as an employee or as an independent contractor</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">”).</span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="line-height:2; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; "><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">The common law test of<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Darden</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">“incorporate[s] traditional agency law criteria for identifying master-servant relationships.” </span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Darden</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>at 319.</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "> Th</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">e</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>Court in</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Darden</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">articulat</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">ed</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>th</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">is</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">common law<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">test as follows</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">:</span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="line-height:normal; text-align:justify; margin-left:96px; margin-right:96px; "><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">In determining whether a hired party is an employee under the general common law of agency, we consider the hiring party's right to control the manner and means by which the product is accomplished. </span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Among the other factors relevant to this inquiry are the skill required;</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>the source of the instrumentalities and tools; the location of the work; the duration of the relationship between the parties; whether the hiring party has the right to assign additional projects to the hired party; the extent of the hired party's discretion over when and how long to work; the method of payment; the hired party's role in hiring and paying assistants; whether the work is part<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">of the regular business of the hiring party; whether the hiring party is in business; the provision of employee benefits; and the tax treatment of the hired party.</span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="margin-top:16px; margin-bottom:0px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; "><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Darden</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>at 323-24</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">, quoting<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">C</span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">mty</span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">.</span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; "><span><span></span>
						</span>for Creative Non</span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; "></span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Violence v. Reid</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">, 490 U.S. 730,<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">751-52<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">(1989)</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">.</span><span><span></span>
					</span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="line-height:2; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; ">“The crux of<span>
					</span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Darden’s</span><span><span></span>
					</span>common law agency test” is<span>
					</span>contained in its<span><span></span>
					</span>first stated factor—"the hiring party's right to control the manner and means by which the product is accomplished.” <span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Weary v. Cochran</span>, 377 F.3d 522, 525 (6th Cir. 2004);<span>
					</span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">see also</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Loomis Cabinet Co.</span>, 15 BNA OSHC 1635, 1638 (No. 882012, 1992)<span><span></span>
					</span>(stating that a “central inquiry” of the<span>
					</span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Darden</span><span><span></span>
					</span>test is “the question of whether the alleged employer controls the workplace”),<span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; "><span><span></span>
						</span>aff'd</span>, 20 F.3d 938 (9th Cir. 1994);<span>
					</span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Don Davis</span>, 19 BNA OSHC<span>
					</span>at<span><span></span>
					</span>1480<span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span>(“The<span>
					</span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Darden</span><span><span></span>
					</span>test originates in the common law, which looks to the element of control by the hiring party over the hired party”);<span>
					</span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Sharon & Walter Const., Inc.</span>,<span>
					</span>23 BNA OSHC 1286, 1289 (No. 00-1402, 2010)<span><span></span>
					</span>(noting that in<span>
					</span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Darden</span><span><span></span>
					</span>“the Court focused primarily” on the first stated factor).</p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="line-height:2; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; ">The Commission has stated that the application of<span>
					</span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Darden</span>’s first stated factor “must include” consideration of<span><span></span>
					</span>the putative employer’s “control over the<span>
					</span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">workers</span><span><span></span>
					</span>and not just the results of their work.” <span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Don Davis</span>, 19 BNA OSHC<span>
					</span>at<span><span></span>
					</span>1482;<span>
					</span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">see also Allstate Painting</span>, 21 BNA OSHC at 1035 (“the primary focus is whether the putative employer controls the workers”);<span>
					</span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Froedtert</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">, 20 BNA OSHC<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">at 1506 (noting that “</span>the control exercised over a worker remains a principal guidepost”<span><span></span>
					</span>in determining whether an employment relationship exists), quoting<span><span></span>
					</span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Clackamas</span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">,</span><span><span></span>
					</span>538 U.S. at 448.<span><span></span>
					</span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="line-height:2; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; ">The factors that the Court in<span>
					</span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Darden</span><span><span></span>
					</span>described as being “relevant” to the<span><span></span>
					</span>test’s<span><span></span>
					</span>central inquiry<span>
					</span>of<span>
					</span>the<span>
					</span>putative<span><span></span>
					</span>employer’s control over the workplace and the workers “includes within the rubric of ‘control’ factors that address the economic and financial aspects of the relationship between the parties, such as matters of compensation, taxation, working hours, and provision of<span>
					</span>tools and equipment.” <span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Don Davis</span>, 19 BNA OSHC at<span>
					</span>1480;<span>
					</span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">a</span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">ccord</span><span><span></span>
					</span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Absolute Roofing</span>,<span>
					</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">580 F.</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">App</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">’</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">x</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span>at 363 (noting that<span>
					</span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Darden</span>’s first stated factor<span>
					</span>is “a broad consideration that is embodied in many of the specific factors articulated in<span>
					</span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Darden</span>,”<span><span></span>
					</span>quoting<span>
					</span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Weary v. Cochran</span>, 377 F.3d<span>
					</span>at<span><span></span>
					</span>525.</p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="line-height:2; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; "><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">The determination of whether a</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>person is an “</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">employee</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">” under the<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Darden</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>test “</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">is a mixed question of law and fact that a judge normally can make as a matter of law.</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">”<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">J</span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">ammal</span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">v. Am. Fam. Ins. Co.</span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">(</span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Jammal</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">)</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">, 914 F.3d 449, 45</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">3</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">–5</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">4</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>(6th Cir. 2019)</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">.</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">
					</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">“</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Each<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Darden</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>factor is<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">...</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>itself a<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">‘</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">legal standard</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">’</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>that the district court is applying to the facts.</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">” </span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Id.</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>at 456. </span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">“</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">[T]</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">he<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">district</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>court's findings underlying its holding on each of the<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Darden</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>factors are factual findings, and the court's ultimate conclusion as to whether the<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">[workers]</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>were employees is a question of law.</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">” </span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Id.</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>at 455;<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">see also<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">United States v. Doig</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">, 950 F.2d 411, 414 n.3 (7th Cir. 1991) (“[W]</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">hether</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>an individual is an employer under</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">” the Act<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">and thus subject to criminal liability</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>under sec. 17(e) is a question for the court, not<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">the jury</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">)</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">;<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">cf.</span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; "> </span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">FreightCar</span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; "><span><span></span>
						</span>Am</span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">.</span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">, Inc.</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">,<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">No. 18-0970, 2021 WL 2311871, at *4<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">(OSHRC, Mar. 3, 2021)</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>(concluding “that</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>the preponderance of the evidence does not show that</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>[respondent]<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">is the employer of the<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">...</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>workers</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">”).<span>
						</span></span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="line-height:2; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; ">The Court in<span>
					</span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Darden</span><span><span></span>
					</span>noted that the “common-law test contains<span>
					</span>no shorthand formula or magic phrase that can be applied to find the answer,” and that “all of the incidents of the relationship must be assessed and weighed with no one factor being decisive.” <span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Darden</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">, 503 U.S.</span><span><span></span>
					</span>at 324,<span>
					</span>quoting<span>
					</span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">NLRB v. United Ins. Co. of Am</span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">.</span>, 390 U.S.<span><span></span>
					</span>254, 258<span><span></span>
					</span>(1968). The Commission has echoed this view, observing<span>
					</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">“that<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">there is no precision to the weighing of all of these factors</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">.” </span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Froedtert</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">,<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">20 BNA OSHC</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>at 1508</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">. </span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="line-height:2; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; "><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Even though “there is no</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">precision to the weighing</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">”</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>of the<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Darden</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>factors</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>in any given case</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">,<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">the<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">conclusion of law</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>that a cited respondent is an “employer”<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">requires</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>an<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">evidentiary record<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">that<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">demonstrates<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">the<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">respondent<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">has sufficient<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">authority</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>to</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>control<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">both t</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">he workplace and the<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">worker</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">to</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">meet</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Darden</span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">’s</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>common law test</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">. </span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">See</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Freight</span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">C</span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">ar</span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; "><span><span></span>
						</span>Am</span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">.</span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">, Inc.</span>, 2021 WL 2311871, at *4<span><span></span>
					</span>(determining the evidentiary record was insufficient to establish employment relationship, noting that “we are troubled by the lack of evidence addressing many of the factors listed in<span>
					</span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Darden</span>”);<span>
					</span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">All Star Realty Co.</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">, 24 BNA OSHC<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">at 1359 (noting that the “</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Secretary has produced so little evidence of control that when we apply the</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">remaining<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Darden</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>factors to this record, the evidence either weighs clearly against an</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">employment relationship or is equivocal at best</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">”)</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">.</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">
					</span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:12px; text-align:center; "><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Nemeckay’s</span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">R</span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">ight to<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">C</span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">ontrol the<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">M</span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">anner and<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">M</span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">eans by<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">W</span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">hich<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; "><br/></span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">the<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">P</span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">roduct is<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">A</span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">ccomplished</span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; "><br/>(</span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Nemeckay’s</span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Control<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">o</span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">ver the W</span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">orkplace and the W</span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">orkers</span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">)</span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="line-height:2; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; widows:0; orphans:0; ">Nemeckay<span><span></span>
					</span>agreed<span><span></span>
					</span>to install shingles<span><span></span>
					</span>on the House<span><span></span>
					</span>for profit, and to<span>
					</span>perform that<span><span></span>
					</span>work<span><span></span>
					</span>he<span><span></span>
					</span>enlisted the assistance of<span><span></span>
					</span>both Armstrong and Worker Two. The<span><span></span>
					</span>greater<span>
					</span>weight of the<span>
					</span>evidence<span>
					</span>showed<span><span></span>
					</span>that<span>
					</span>Nemeckay<span><span></span>
					</span>had control over the<span>
					</span>performance of the roofing work itself. Nevertheless,<span><span></span>
					</span>“control over the ‘means and methods’ by which a task is accomplished<span>
					</span>is not dispositive of employment<span><span></span>
					</span>status under the Act.” <span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Don Davis</span>,<span>
					</span>19 BNA OSHC<span>
					</span>at<span>
					</span>1479.<span>
					</span><span><span></span>
					</span>Here, as in<span>
					</span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Don Davis</span>, the Secretary must show that<span>
					</span>Nemeckay<span><span></span>
					</span>had “control over the<span>
					</span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">workers</span><span><span></span>
					</span>and not just the results of their work.” <span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Id.</span><span><span></span>
					</span>at<span>
					</span>1482.</p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="line-height:2; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; widows:0; orphans:0; ">There is<span>
					</span>scant<span><span></span>
					</span>evidence that<span>
					</span>Nemeckay<span><span></span>
					</span>had control over either Armstrong or Worker Two<span><span></span>
					</span>beyond controlling the<span>
					</span>results of their work. The sparse record in this regard is<span>
					</span>due in large part<span><span></span>
					</span>to<span>
					</span>Nemeckay’s<span><span></span>
					</span>decision to provide false and incomplete testimony as to many matters. However, the many falsehoods that<span>
					</span>Nemeckay<span><span></span>
					</span>uttered<span>
					</span>in his<span>
					</span>sworn<span>
					</span>testimony do not by themselves constitute<span>
					</span>affirmative<span><span></span>
					</span>evidence that<span>
					</span>Nemeckay<span><span></span>
					</span>had the right to control either Armstrong or Worker Two. <span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">See United States v. Eisen</span>, 974 F.2d 246, 259 (2d Cir. 1992) (noting that the jury in criminal trial “is free to draw negative inferences from an untruthful witness's testimony as long as there is affirmative testimony to supplement or corroborate those negative inferences”).</p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="line-height:2; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; ">Presumably,<span>
					</span>Nemeckay<span><span></span>
					</span>chose to testify falsely<span>
					</span>and incompletely<span><span></span>
					</span>in<span>
					</span>responding<span><span></span>
					</span>to many questions<span><span></span>
					</span>because he<span>
					</span>believed that<span>
					</span>he would not prevail if<span>
					</span>he testified<span><span></span>
					</span>truthfully<span><span></span>
					</span>and completely.<span class="style_DefaultParagraphFont style_DefaultParagraphFont style_FootnoteReference style_FootnoteReference " style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><a name="ftnref5" href="#ftn5">4</a></span> But<span>
					</span>Nemeckay<span><span></span>
					</span>represented<span><span></span>
					</span>himself at the hearing, and he is not trained in the law.<span class="style_DefaultParagraphFont style_DefaultParagraphFont style_FootnoteReference style_FootnoteReference " style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span> It is<span>
					</span>certainly<span>
					</span>possible that if<span>
					</span>Nemeckay<span><span></span>
					</span>had<span>
					</span>given<span>
					</span>truthful and<span>
					</span>complete responses to all<span>
					</span>the<span>
					</span>questions put to him,<span><span></span>
					</span>some of<span>
					</span>those<span><span></span>
					</span>responses<span>
					</span>might have<span>
					</span>supported his position that neither<span>
					</span>worker<span><span></span>
					</span>was his employee, or<span>
					</span>might at least<span>
					</span>have been neutral on the issue. </p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="line-height:2; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; widows:0; orphans:0; ">Nemeckay’s<span><span></span>
					</span>false testimony<span>
					</span>to questions seeking to<span><span></span>
					</span>elicit evidence<span>
					</span>that<span>
					</span>would<span>
					</span>bear on<span>
					</span>his control<span>
					</span>over<span>
					</span>Armstrong and Worker Two, standing<span>
					</span>alone,<span><span></span>
					</span>does not<span>
					</span>amount to<span>
					</span>substantial evidence<span>
					</span>on which to find<span>
					</span>that<span>
					</span>Nemeckay<span><span></span>
					</span>possessed such<span><span></span>
					</span>control to<span>
					</span>have<span>
					</span>created<span>
					</span>a<span>
					</span>common law masterservant relationship<span><span></span>
					</span>with either<span><span></span>
					</span>worker.<span>
					</span><span><span></span>
					</span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">See</span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Roper Corp. v. NLRB</span>, 712 F.2d 306, 310 (7th Cir. 1983)<span><span></span>
					</span>(holding that<span>
					</span>an<span>
					</span>administrative law judge’s finding that two witnesses were<span>
					</span>untruthful<span>
					</span>did not constitute substantial evidence<span>
					</span>“that the opposite of that to which<span>
					</span>they<span>
					</span>testified was true,”<span><span></span>
					</span>noting that<span><span></span>
					</span>“if such ‘proof’ were acceptable as sufficient evidence, effective review of fact-finding would involve analysis of a chimera”).<span>
					</span><span><span></span>
					</span>Rather, some evidence<span><span></span>
					</span>that is independent of<span>
					</span>Nemeckay’s<span><span></span>
					</span>false testimony<span><span></span>
					</span>and<span><span></span>
					</span>that would<span>
					</span>supplement or<span>
					</span>corroborate<span>
					</span>the sought-after<span><span></span>
					</span>negative inference<span>
					</span>would be<span><span></span>
					</span>necessary<span><span></span>
					</span>before that<span>
					</span>negative inference<span><span></span>
					</span>may be drawn. <span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">United States v. Eisen</span>, 974 F.2d<span>
					</span>at<span><span></span>
					</span>259.<span><span></span>
					</span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:12px; text-align:center; "><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Skill Required</span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="line-height:2; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; ">The evidence suggests that<span>
					</span>Armstrong provided skilled labor<span><span></span>
					</span>in assisting<span>
					</span>Nemeckay<span><span></span>
					</span>in<span><span></span>
					</span>installing<span><span></span>
					</span>the shingles. <span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">(Findings of Fact ¶ 42).<span>
						</span></span><span><span></span>
					</span>This<span><span></span>
					</span>generally<span>
					</span>tilts in favor of independent contractor<span>
					</span>status.<span><span></span>
					</span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="line-height:2; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; ">The only evidence of<span>
					</span>the type of work that<span>
					</span>Worker Two<span>
					</span>performed<span>
					</span>was<span>
					</span>to help<span>
					</span>Nemeckay<span><span></span>
					</span>move the shingles to the rooftop<span><span></span>
					</span>and that<span>
					</span>he collected debris from off the ground.<span>
					</span><span><span></span>
					</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">(Findings of Fact ¶ 14).</span><span><span></span>
					</span><span><span></span>
					</span>Nemeckay<span><span></span>
					</span>recorded a<span>
					</span>video (Ex. C-9)<span><span></span>
					</span>that shows Worker Two<span>
					</span>standing<span>
					</span>on the rooftop, but there is<span>
					</span>no evidence that bears on<span>
					</span>whether Worker Two was doing any<span>
					</span>skilled<span><span></span>
					</span>work<span>
					</span>on the rooftop. The<span>
					</span>dearth of evidence<span>
					</span>regarding<span>
					</span>the full scope of<span>
					</span>Worker Two’s<span><span></span>
					</span>work activities<span>
					</span>is<span>
					</span>mostly<span>
					</span>a result of<span>
					</span>Nemeckay’s<span><span></span>
					</span>willful failure to testify<span>
					</span>truthfully and<span>
					</span>forthrightly about Worker Two. </p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:12px; text-align:center; widows:0; orphans:0; "><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Source of the Instrumentalities and Tools</span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="line-height:2; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; ">There is no evidence what tools, if any, Worker Two used on June 29, again because<span>
					</span>Nemeckay<span><span></span>
					</span>decided not to<span>
					</span>testify<span>
					</span>truthfully and forthrightly about Worker Two. </p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="line-height:2; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; ">Armstrong did not use any of his own tools in doing the roofing work. <span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">(Findings of Fact ¶ </span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">50</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">). </span>Armstrong used<span>
					</span>Nemeckay’s<span><span></span>
					</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">pneumatic nail<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">gun,</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>and<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">in the video at Exhibit C-9<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">he<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">is seen and heard<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">using<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Nemeckay’s</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>circular saw or drill</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">. </span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">(Findings of Fact<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">¶</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">¶ </span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">22, 47</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">). </span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="line-height:2; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; "><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">The<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">H</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">omeowner provided the</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>two</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">ladders that were used to access the roof</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">. </span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">(Findings of Fact ¶ </span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">46</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">). </span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">The Homeowner<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">also provided<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">an air</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">compressor and<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">air<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">hose<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">that<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">both<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Nemeckay</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>and Armstrong used to power<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Nemeckay’s</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>pneumatic nail gun. </span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">(Findings of Fact ¶ </span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">47</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">). </span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">T</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">here is no evidence<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">that<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">bear</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">s</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>on whether<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Nemeckay</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>would have supplied th</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">e<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">necessary<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">ladders, air compressor, and<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">air<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">hose to do the work if the Homeowner had not<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">allowed<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Nemeckay</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>to use</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">that equipment</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">. </span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="line-height:2; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; ">The<span><span></span>
					</span>affirmative evidence that Armstrong<span>
					</span>used none of his own tools and instead used<span>
					</span>tools<span>
					</span>and equipment<span>
					</span>belonging<span><span></span>
					</span>to<span>
					</span>Nemeckay<span><span></span>
					</span>or the Homeowner<span><span></span>
					</span>weighs<span>
					</span>in favor of<span>
					</span>employee status. <span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">See</span><span><span></span>
					</span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Absolute Roofing</span>,<span><span></span>
					</span>580 F.<span>
					</span>App’x<span><span></span>
					</span>at<span>
					</span>361-62.</p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:12px; text-align:center; "><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Location of the Work</span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="line-height:2; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; ">All the roofing work took place<span>
					</span>at the House<span><span></span>
					</span>on which<span>
					</span>Nemeckay<span><span></span>
					</span>had<span><span></span>
					</span>agreed<span><span></span>
					</span>to<span>
					</span>install shingles. This<span>
					</span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Darden<span>
						</span></span>factor has no weight here because the roofing work would be done at<span>
					</span>the<span>
					</span>location of the construction site<span>
					</span>regardless of the status of the workers as employees or independent contractors.<span>
					</span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:12px; text-align:center; widows:0; orphans:0; "><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Duration of the Relationship between the Parties</span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="line-height:2; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; widows:0; orphans:0; ">Nemeckay<span><span></span>
					</span>and Armstrong have known each other for<span>
					</span>many<span>
					</span>years and have a close personal relationship. The only evidence of their<span>
					</span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">working</span><span><span></span>
					</span>relationship is<span>
					</span>Nemeckay’s<span><span></span>
					</span>testimony<span>
					</span>that sometimes<span>
					</span>Nemeckay<span><span></span>
					</span>asks<span><span></span>
					</span>Armstrong to help him<span>
					</span>on his jobs<span>
					</span>and that he has never paid Armstrong<span>
					</span>for<span>
					</span>the help<span>
					</span>that<span>
					</span>Armstrong has<span>
					</span>provided. Armstrong testified<span><span></span>
					</span>at the hearing, but he<span><span></span>
					</span>was not<span><span></span>
					</span>asked<span>
					</span>about his history of<span>
					</span>helping<span>
					</span>Nemeckay<span><span></span>
					</span>in his business or whether<span>
					</span>Nemeckay<span><span></span>
					</span>had ever paid him for<span>
					</span>that<span>
					</span>help.<span>
					</span><span><span></span>
					</span>And so, there<span>
					</span>is<span><span></span>
					</span>no<span>
					</span>testimony<span><span></span>
					</span>from Armstrong<span><span></span>
					</span>on those subjects that is available to be considered and its credibility and reliability assessed.</p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="line-height:2; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; widows:0; orphans:0; ">There is no evidence of the duration of<span>
					</span>Nemeckay’s<span><span></span>
					</span>relationship with Worker Two, but this is<span>
					</span>because<span>
					</span>Nemeckay<span><span></span>
					</span>falsely testified that he had never met<span>
					</span>Worker Two before and did not know<span>
					</span>him. Nemeckay’s<span><span></span>
					</span>testimony that the Homeowner had arranged for Worker Two to be present was decisively<span>
					</span>contradicted<span>
					</span>by the Homeowner’s credible testimony to the contrary. The Homeowner’s credible testimony<span>
					</span>proved<span>
					</span>Nemeckay’s<span><span></span>
					</span>contrary<span>
					</span>testimony that he did not know the identity of Worker Two<span><span></span>
					</span>to be<span>
					</span>incredible. While it is<span>
					</span>likely that<span><span></span>
					</span>Nemeckay<span><span></span>
					</span>and Worker Two had some prior working relationship,<span>
					</span>findings about the<span>
					</span>duration and nature of that prior relationship would be<span>
					</span>speculative<span><span></span>
					</span>on this record. This is so even though<span>
					</span>the<span>
					</span>absence of substantial evidence<span>
					</span>on this point is<span>
					</span>a result of<span>
					</span>Nemeckay<span><span></span>
					</span>having<span>
					</span>willfully<span>
					</span>obstructed the search for the truth by providing<span><span></span>
					</span>false<span>
					</span>and incomplete<span>
					</span>testimony<span><span></span>
					</span>regarding<span><span></span>
					</span>his knowledge of<span>
					</span>Worker Two.<span><span></span>
					</span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:12px; text-align:center; widows:0; orphans:0; "><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Hir</span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">ing</span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; "><span><span></span>
						</span>Party's</span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; "><span><span></span>
						</span>Right to Assign Additional Projects</span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="line-height:2; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; widows:0; orphans:0; ">There is no evidence that<span>
					</span>Nemeckay<span><span></span>
					</span>has any right to assign additional projects to either Armstrong or Worker Two.</p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:12px; text-align:center; widows:0; orphans:0; "><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Extent of the Hired Party's Discretion<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Over</span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; "><br/></span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">When and How Long to Work</span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="line-height:2; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; widows:0; orphans:0; ">There is evidence that<span>
					</span>from<span>
					</span>time-to-time<span><span></span>
					</span>Nemeckay<span><span></span>
					</span>asks Armstrong to assist him<span>
					</span>in his business, but there is no evidence that Armstrong is<span><span></span>
					</span>somehow<span><span></span>
					</span>obliged to<span>
					</span>do so when asked. Similarly, there is no evidence that<span>
					</span>Nemeckay<span><span></span>
					</span>had<span>
					</span>any<span>
					</span>authority<span>
					</span>to<span>
					</span>call upon<span>
					</span>Worker Two<span><span></span>
					</span>and summon him<span>
					</span>to work. While<span>
					</span>Nemeckay<span><span></span>
					</span>controlled the start and ending times for the work on the House,<span>
					</span>his<span><span></span>
					</span>control over<span>
					</span>the means and manner of installing the shingles on the House is not dispositive of whether<span>
					</span>Nemeckay<span><span></span>
					</span>had such control over either Armstrong or Worker Two that a master-servant relationship arose. <span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">See<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Don Davis</span>,<span>
					</span>19 BNA OSHC<span>
					</span>at 1479. </p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:12px; text-align:center; widows:0; orphans:0; "><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Method of Payment</span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="line-height:2; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; widows:0; orphans:0; ">There is no evidence that<span>
					</span>Nemeckay<span><span></span>
					</span>paid either Armstrong or Worker Two for work on the House. In view of<span>
					</span>Nemeckay’s<span><span></span>
					</span>close personal relationship with Armstrong,<span>
					</span>Nemeckay’s<span><span></span>
					</span>testimony that he did not pay Armstrong<span>
					</span>for his work on the House<span>
					</span>(and<span>
					</span>that he<span>
					</span>had never paid Armstrong) is not<span>
					</span>implausible. </p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="line-height:2; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; widows:0; orphans:0; ">In contrast, it is implausible that Worker Two assisted<span>
					</span>Nemeckay<span><span></span>
					</span>for<span>
					</span>no pay. Nemeckay<span><span></span>
					</span>certainly realizes this, which may be why he<span>
					</span>suggested in his testimony that the Homeowner might have paid<span><span></span>
					</span>Worker Two, since<span>
					</span>Nemeckay<span><span></span>
					</span>claimed not to have paid him.<span>
					</span><span><span></span>
					</span>(T. 76-78).<span>
					</span><span><span></span>
					</span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="line-height:2; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; widows:0; orphans:0; ">If it were assumed that the roofing job was completed in a day and a half of work, and that<span>
					</span>Nemeckay<span><span></span>
					</span>had<span>
					</span>devoted<span>
					</span>twelve hours<span><span></span>
					</span>of his own time<span><span></span>
					</span>to complete the<span>
					</span>job,<span>
					</span>then if<span>
					</span>Nemeckay<span><span></span>
					</span>retained the entire $2,000 that the Homeowner paid<span><span></span>
					</span>for the work,<span>
					</span>Nemeckay<span><span></span>
					</span>would have been paid<span>
					</span>at the rate of about<span>
					</span>$166<span>
					</span>per<span><span></span>
					</span>hour. </p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="line-height:2; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; widows:0; orphans:0; ">If<span>
					</span>Nemeckay<span><span></span>
					</span>did in fact pay Armstrong or Worker Two<span><span></span>
					</span>(or both), he<span>
					</span>likely<span><span></span>
					</span>paid them<span>
					</span>in cash, possibly<span>
					</span>with<span>
					</span>some of the $1,000 cash<span>
					</span>payment<span>
					</span>that the Homeowner<span>
					</span>had<span>
					</span>given<span><span></span>
					</span>Nemeckay.<span class="style_DefaultParagraphFont style_DefaultParagraphFont style_FootnoteReference style_FootnoteReference " style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><a name="ftnref6" href="#ftn6">5</a></span><span><span></span>
					</span><span><span></span>
					</span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:12px; text-align:center; "><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Hired Party’s Role in Hiring and Paying Assistants</span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="margin-top:8px; margin-bottom:1px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; ">There is no evidence that either Armstrong or Worker Two had authority to hire and pay any assistants. </p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:12px; text-align:center; "><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">W</span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">ork<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">as P</span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">art of the<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">H</span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">iring<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">P</span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">arty’s<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">R</span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">egular<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">B</span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">usiness</span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">, and</span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; "><br/></span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Whether the Hiring Party is in Business</span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="margin-top:8px; margin-bottom:1px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; ">Nemeckay<span><span></span>
					</span>is in the roofing business, and the work<span><span></span>
					</span>performed by<span>
					</span>Armstrong and Worker Two was<span>
					</span>integral to<span>
					</span>that<span>
					</span>business. These factors weigh in favor of<span>
					</span>concluding<span><span></span>
					</span>a master-servant relationship existed.</p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:12px; text-align:center; "><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Provision of Employee Benefits</span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">;</span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; "><br/></span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Tax Treatment</span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; "><span><span></span>
						</span>of the Hired Party</span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:1px; line-height:2; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; "><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Since there is no evidence that<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Nemeckay</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>paid either Armstrong or Worker Two for their work on the House, there is no evidence of any employee benefits or<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">the<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">tax treatment of any pay or benefits. The only evidence<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">is<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">that<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Nemeckay</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">has<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">historically treated<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">any paid labor</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>in his business</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>to have been independent contractors</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>for purposes of his personal income tax returns</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">.</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">
					</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">(Findings of Fact ¶ </span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">40</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">).</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">
					</span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Cf.<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Sharon & Walter Const., Inc.</span>, 23 BNA OSHC<span><span></span>
					</span>at 1290 (finding “failure to withhold federal income and social security taxes was ... not a bona fide reflection of an authentic independent contractor relationship”).</p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:12px; text-align:center; widows:0; orphans:0; "><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Conclusion</span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; "><span><span></span>
						</span>of Law</span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; "><span><span></span>
						</span>Based on the<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">Darden</span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Factors</span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="line-height:2; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; widows:0; orphans:0; ">Based on the foregoing<span>
					</span>analysis of the<span>
					</span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Darden</span><span><span></span>
					</span>factors,<span><span></span>
					</span>the evidence<span>
					</span>is insufficient to<span>
					</span>establish that a common law master-servant relationship existed between<span>
					</span>Nemeckay<span><span></span>
					</span>and either Armstrong or Worker Two.</p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="line-height:2; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; widows:0; orphans:0; ">It is possible that<span>
					</span>Nemeckay<span><span></span>
					</span>will regard this<span>
					</span>conclusion<span>
					</span>that the Secretary<span>
					</span>did not<span>
					</span>meet the<span>
					</span>burden to prove that<span>
					</span>Nemeckay<span><span></span>
					</span>was a<span><span></span>
					</span>statutory employer<span><span></span>
					</span>to<span>
					</span>vindicate him. He might also regard this result to validate<span>
					</span>(1)<span>
					</span>his<span>
					</span>act of making<span>
					</span>knowing material misrepresentations to the CO during the investigation,<span>
					</span>(2)<span>
					</span>his<span><span></span>
					</span>profane<span><span></span>
					</span>belligerence<span>
					</span>toward<span><span></span>
					</span>the<span>
					</span>OSHA officials<span>
					</span>engaged in the proper performance of<span>
					</span>their official duties,<span><span></span>
					</span>(3)<span>
					</span>his<span>
					</span>recruiting<span><span></span>
					</span>the Homeowner<span>
					</span>into<span><span></span>
					</span>his effort to<span>
					</span>obstruct the investigation, and<span>
					</span>(4)<span>
					</span>his<span>
					</span>providing knowingly false testimony<span><span></span>
					</span>in these Commission proceedings.<span>
					</span><span><span></span>
					</span>He ought not do so.<span>
					</span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="line-height:2; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; widows:0; orphans:0; ">Nemeckay’s<span><span></span>
					</span>knowingly false<span>
					</span>and incomplete<span>
					</span>testimony at the hearing was<span>
					</span>contemptuous of<span><span></span>
					</span>the adjudicatory process<span><span></span>
					</span>and prejudicial to the administration of justice. <span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Cf.</span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; "><span><span></span>
						</span>In re Weiss</span>, 703 F.2d 653, 662–64 (2d Cir.<span><span></span>
					</span>1983) (holding that false or evasive testimony is tantamount to refusal to answer and is properly punished by contempt). Nemeckay’s<span><span></span>
					</span>actions could subject<span><span></span>
					</span>him to prosecution and resulting substantial fines and/or incarceration<span>
					</span>for perjury as well as<span>
					</span>for<span>
					</span>knowingly<span>
					</span>making<span>
					</span>materially<span>
					</span>false statements<span>
					</span>during the investigation. <span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">See</span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">, e.g.,</span><span style="font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; "><span><span></span>
						</span>United States v. Craigue</span>, 565 F. Supp. 3d 267 (D.N.H. 2021) (prosecution under 18 U.S.C. § 1001 for knowingly and willfully making<span>
					</span>materially<span>
					</span>false statement to an OSHA agent<span><span></span>
					</span>that certain workers were subcontractors and not the defendant’s employees).</p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:8px; text-align:center; "><span style="font-weight:bold; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-weight:bold; ">ORDER</span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="line-height:2; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; ">The foregoing decision constitutes findings of fact and conclusions of law<span><span></span>
					</span>on all material issues of fact, law, or discretion<span><span></span>
					</span>in accordance<span><span></span>
					</span>with Commission Rule 90(a)(1). 29 C.F.R.<span><span></span>
					</span>§ 2200.90(a)(1).<span style="font-family:Arial; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-family:Arial; ">
					</span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="line-height:2; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; ">Based upon the foregoing findings of fact and conclusions of law, it is ORDERED that<span><span></span>
					</span>Items<span><span></span>
					</span>1<span><span></span>
					</span>through 4<span><span></span>
					</span>of<span>
					</span>Citation 1<span><span></span>
					</span>that<span>
					</span>allege<span><span></span>
					</span>serious<span>
					</span>violations<span><span></span>
					</span>of 29 C.F.R.<span>
					</span>§§ 1926.100(a),<span>
					</span>1926.102(a)(1),<span><span></span>
					</span>1926.501(b)(13),<span>
					</span>&<span><span></span>
					</span>1926.1053(b)(1), along with their<span><span></span>
					</span>associated proposed penalties, are<span><span></span>
					</span>VACATED.<span><span></span>
					</span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="margin-left:288px; "> </p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="margin-left:288px; "> </p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="margin-left:288px; "><span style="text-decoration:underline ;font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; text-decoration:underline ;">   s/</span><span style="text-decoration:underline ;font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; text-decoration:underline ;"><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:16pt; font-family:Brush Script MT; text-decoration:underline ;font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-family:Brush Script MT; font-size:16pt; text-decoration:underline ;">William S. Coleman   </span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="margin-left:240px; text-indent:1.27cm; ">WILLIAM S. COLEMAN</p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:16px; margin-left:234.267px; text-indent:1.422cm; ">Administrative Law Judge</p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:8px; margin-left:-5.733px; ">Dated:<span>
					</span>September 19, 2022</p>
			</div>
			<hr/>"
      <div>
				<p>
					<a name="ftn-1" href="#ftnref-1"></a> </p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p>
					<a name="ftn0" href="#ftnref0"></a> </p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p>
					<a name="ftn1" href="#ftnref1"></a> </p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_FootnoteText style_FootnoteText " style="line-height:normal; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; widows:0; orphans:0; ">
					<a name="ftn2" href="#ftnref2"><span class="style_DefaultParagraphFont style_DefaultParagraphFont style_FootnoteReference style_FootnoteReference " style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">1 </span></a><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>Although<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">Armstrong</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>testi</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">fied at the hearing</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">, he was not asked whether Nemeckay had paid him for his work on the House. </span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">Nemeckay</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>conducted the following two</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">question direct examination</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>of Armstrong</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">, which<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">is<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">the entirety of<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">Armstrong’s</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>testimony</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>(T. 129)</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">:<span>
						</span></span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_FootnoteText style_FootnoteText " style="margin-top:5.333px; margin-bottom:0px; text-align:justify; margin-left:72px; text-indent:-.806cm; margin-right:48px; widows:0; orphans:0; "><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">Q:</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">Whose tools and ladders were we using on</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">[Homeowner’s] home on June of 2020?</span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_FootnoteText style_FootnoteText " style="margin-top:2.667px; margin-bottom:0px; text-align:justify; margin-left:72px; text-indent:-.806cm; margin-right:48px; widows:0; orphans:0; "><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">A:</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">We were using the homeowner's tools and ladders. I mean, I guess we were using all the homeowner's tools.<span>
						</span></span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_FootnoteText style_FootnoteText " style="margin-top:2.667px; margin-bottom:0px; text-align:justify; margin-left:72px; text-indent:-.806cm; margin-right:48px; widows:0; orphans:0; "><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">Q:</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">And why did I bring my dump truck there?</span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_FootnoteText style_FootnoteText " style="margin-top:2.667px; margin-bottom:8px; text-align:justify; margin-left:72px; text-indent:-.806cm; margin-right:48px; widows:0; orphans:0; "><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">A:</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">Because we had to take up some shingles. We had to -- he bought shingles, so we had to take them out of the truck, carry them up on the roof.<span>
						</span></span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_FootnoteText style_FootnoteText " style="text-align:justify; text-indent:.635cm; ">
					<a name="ftn3" href="#ftnref3"><span class="style_DefaultParagraphFont style_DefaultParagraphFont style_FootnoteReference style_FootnoteReference " style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">2 </span></a><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">The terms “commerce,” “person,” and “employees” that appear in the definition of “employer” are themselves defined terms in<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">s</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">ub</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">sectio</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">ns</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>3,</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">4 and<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">6,</span><span style="font-size:12pt; color:#000000; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>29 U.S.C. § 652, in pertinent part as follows</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">:</span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_FootnoteText style_FootnoteText " style="margin-top:4px; margin-bottom:0px; text-align:justify; margin-left:48px; text-indent:.635cm; margin-right:48px; "><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">(3) The term “commerce” means trade, traffic, commerce, transportation, or communication among the several States, or between a State and any place outside thereof, . . . or between points in the same State but through a point outside thereof.</span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_FootnoteText style_FootnoteText " style="margin-top:2.667px; margin-bottom:0px; text-align:justify; margin-left:48px; text-indent:.635cm; margin-right:48px; "><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">(4) The term “person” means one or more individuals, partnerships, associations, corporations, business trusts, legal representatives, or any organized group of persons.</span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_FootnoteText style_FootnoteText " style="margin-top:2.667px; margin-bottom:0px; text-align:justify; margin-left:48px; text-indent:.635cm; margin-right:48px; "><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">(6) The term “employee” means an employee of an employer who is employed in a business of his employer which affects commerce.</span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p class="style_Normal style_Normal style_FootnoteText style_FootnoteText " style="line-height:normal; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; ">
					<a name="ftn4" href="#ftnref4"><span class="style_DefaultParagraphFont style_DefaultParagraphFont style_FootnoteReference style_FootnoteReference " style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">3 </span></a><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">U</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">nder section 11 of the Act</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">,<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">the Commission’s final order in this matter</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>is subject to judicial review<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">in</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span>t</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">he Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals.</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; "> I</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">n deciding a case, the Commission<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">generally<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">applies the precedent of the<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">circuit</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">court of appeals<span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">to which that decision may be appealed.</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; "><span><span></span>
						</span></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; font-style:italic; ">Kerns Bros. Tree Serv.</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">, 18 BNA OSHC 2064, 2067 (No. 96</span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; "></span><span style="font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-size:12pt; ">1719, 2000).</span></p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="line-height:normal; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; ">
					<a name="ftn5" href="#ftnref5"><span class="style_DefaultParagraphFont style_DefaultParagraphFont style_FootnoteReference style_FootnoteReference " style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">4 </span></a><span><span></span>
					</span>Nemeckay’s false representations before the Commission began with his written notice of contest dated August 7, 2020, in which he falsely asserted that he<span>
					</span>“was not working as a paid contractor,” but rather had been working on the roof of his cousin’s house “solely as family helping out.”<span>
					</span><span><span></span>
					</span>In the face of<span>
					</span>unassailable<span>
					</span>evidence presented at the hearing, Nemeckay<span>
					</span>did not deny<span><span></span>
					</span>that<span>
					</span>the Homeowner<span><span></span>
					</span>had paid him as a paid contractor and that the Homeowner<span><span></span>
					</span>was not his family<span>
					</span>member.</p>
			</div>
			<div>
				<p style="line-height:normal; text-align:justify; text-indent:1.27cm; widows:0; orphans:0; ">
					<a name="ftn6" href="#ftnref6"><span class="style_DefaultParagraphFont style_DefaultParagraphFont style_FootnoteReference style_FootnoteReference " style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:12pt; ">5 </span></a><span><span></span>
					</span>The Secretary obtained by subpoena records of<span>
					</span>Nemeckay’s checking account to which Nemeckay had deposited the $1,000<span><span></span>
					</span>check<span>
					</span>that the Homeowner<span>
					</span>wrote<span><span></span>
					</span>to Nemeckay. (T. 4647). Those<span><span></span>
					</span>bank records apparently did not reveal<span><span></span>
					</span>Nemeckay having written<span>
					</span>any checks to Armstrong or anyone else.</p>
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