County Leaders Report Progress Fighting Wage Theft
Local workers who fall victim to wage theft now have a better chance of getting the pay that is due them.
County and state leaders reported advances on addressing wage theft within the region Tuesday outside the County Administration Center.
The event was part of a Week of Action honoring labor rights activist César Chávez.
The County cited the Workplace Justice Fund as one of its most successful programs. The fund helps workers who won legal judgments for lost wages but are still waiting for the money from their employers.
The justice fund offers these workers checks up to $3,000 to help pay rent and other bills. Once the judgment is assigned to the County for collection, the County will seek to recover money that is owed to the worker.
“When an employer cheats a worker out of fair wages, they cannot afford to pay for their basic needs, which hurts our local economy…,” said County Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer. “So, our Office of Labor Standards Enforcement is now here to ensure that if these things do happen, if you are a victim, there is a place for you to go.”