Back in May Boston’s ABC 5 tracked down a convicted sex offender who was working as an unlicensed contractor for Home Depot. Not only was the guy a registered sex offender…he didn’t even refinish cabinets well.

Home Depot promised changes and now ABC 5 is following up:

Team 5 Investigates obtained Home Depot’s most recent online reference guide for service providers who are sent to customers’ homes, and it shows significant changes to what has been published in the past. “I think this is a step in the direction of tightening up the requirements and recognizing the public needs to have confidence and know that it’s going to be safe to have these contractors doing the work,” said professor Jim Post of Boston University’s School of Management.

The most significant changes relate to background checks. There are now new obligations for those who are supposed to be doing them and an increase in how often they’re supposed to performed. Home Depot is also demanding that service providers verify the identity and social security number for each worker. A failure to do so could result in hefty fines.

Workers must also wear a new type of badge to show they’ve met the new requirements. If they don’t, the fine is $500. Licensing infractions, including a failure to pull permits, could cost a contractor $1,000. And for every consumer complaint filed with an attorney general’s office where the service provider fails to demonstrate an effort to resolve the complaint, that service provider is subject to a $2,500 penalty. “It certainly shows that they’re serious about making sure the quality of service that’s delivered to customers is consistent with the standards that they’ve set,” said Post.

Consumer should take note of that last bit and complaint to their attorney general if Home Depots contractors fail to live up to their promises. Or, you know, don’t use Home Depot’s contractors.

Home Depot Makes Policy Changes After Team 5 Investigation [ABC 5]
(Photo:Maulliegh)

PREVIOUSLY: Home Depot Sent Registered Sex Offender To Refinish Single Woman’s Cabinets

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