When investigating consumer complaints, the Board’s Enforcement division sometimes asks trained members of its Industry Expert Program to inspect projects and render opinions on specific items of complaint.
The Industry Expert Program’s statewide pool of licensed tradespeople provides a variety of essential services. These industry experts are either appropriately licensed or registered professionals such as contractors, engineers, architects, landscape architects, geologists, and accountants, or interpreters and manufacturers’ representatives with skills and/or expertise that CSLB may require in specific investigations or criminal prosecutions. Experts are compensated for their time.
Participation • Complaint Investigation • Mandatory Arbitration • Voluntary Arbitration • On-Site Negotiation • Administrative Hearings • License Exam Development Typical Assignments • Inspect and analyze construction projects subject to complaints • Provide expert opinion and testimony about specific complaint items and accepted trade standards • Consult on license exam development • Help establish and maintain acceptable industry standards
Recruitment
CSLB’s industry experts roster includes professionals from specific geographic areas of California in each of the Board’s contractor license classifications.
Additional participants are recruited and trained, as needed, according to license classification or profession and geographic location. Recruitment periods are advertised in the Board’s California Licensed Contractor newsletter and other industry publications.
Although contractors may only be selected to become an industry expert during applicable recruitment periods, they can indicate their interest in participating anytime by submitting the attached Contact Request form.
Participation Requirements:
To be selected for the program, applicants must be:
- A qualifier for at least 5 years on a current contractor license that is free of unresolved licensing and enforcement actions;
- Knowledgeable about currently accepted trade standards in their areas of expertise; • Able to provide effective verbal communication;
- Able to write an effective expert opinion; and
- Able to testify at arbitration or disciplinary hearings, as needed.
Contact Tracy Threlfall at 916-925-7390 for assistance and more information.