A committee of the Los Angeles City Council has given approval to a set of motions aimed at tackling wage theft. The Civil Rights, Equity, Immigration, Aging and Disability Committee, consisting of five members, voted 4-0 in favor of three motions. Councilwoman Monica Rodriguez was not present during the meeting.
The first motion calls for an analysis on how the Bureau of Contract Administration’s Office of Wage Standards and the Civil and Human Rights and Equity Department can better assist workers who are victims of wage theft.
The second motion empowers the Office of Wage Standards to enforce claims against businesses for violations related to overtime, break times, late pay, and gratuities.
The third motion requests an analysis of the resources used to prosecute wage theft cases, as well as identifying any additional resources and staffing needs necessary for effective prosecution.
Council members Hugo Soto-Martinez, Tim McOsker, Heather Hutt, Eunisses Hernandez, and Bob Blumenfield introduced these motions to support workers.
“These three motions are about making the city better at enforcing all sorts of violations,” said Soto-Martinez. “Some are report backs, while others aim to expand the authority of OWS.”
Soto-Martinez highlighted that approximately $1.4 billion is lost by Angelenos each year due to wage theft, resulting in an average loss of $40 per week for workers.
He emphasized that wage theft disproportionately impacts women, people of color, and marginalized individuals in society.
Soto-Martinez expressed his excitement at the passage of the motions and their eventual codification into law.
During the committee meeting, John Reamer, the director of the Bureau of Contract Administration, provided a verbal presentation on how his bureau handles wage theft complaints and the associated challenges.
The Bureau of Contract Administration was established in 1991 with the purpose of investigating wage violations and ensuring compliance with city, state, and federal labor laws.
In addition to wage theft, the bureau also handles complaints related to prevailing wage, living wage, and minimum wage.
In 2016, the Office of Wage Standards was created, expanding the bureau’s responsibilities to enforce other labor regulations.
In recent years, the Bureau of Contract Administration has faced staffing issues, like many other city departments; the bureau currently has 29 out of 44 positions filled.
The bureau has previously conducted outreach campaigns to educate employees and employers on labor expectations.
Reamer stressed the need for more staffing, funding, and authority to address wage theft in its various forms.
He mentioned that many businesses choose to pay restitution for wage theft rather than pay workers upfront because they believe getting caught is easier than adhering to labor laws.
However, Reamer expressed confidence that the motions put forth by council members can help strengthen their team and build partnerships to combat wage theft.
“I believe we can put a stop to wage theft,” Reamer said. “This is something that can be achieved, but it starts with us sending a message that wage theft will not be tolerated in the city of Los Angeles.”
Denial of responsibility! Vigour Times is an automatic aggregator of Global media. In each content, the hyperlink to the primary source is specified. All trademarks belong to their rightful owners, and all materials to their authors. For any complaint, please reach us at – [email protected]. We will take necessary action within 24 hours.
