Growing demands for the state Labor Department to enhance enforcement of wage theft laws have emerged following a lawsuit by a group of New York City home health aides.
The workers allege that the department prematurely closed investigations and overlooked evidence of employers withholding overtime pay.
Senate Labor Committee chair Jessica Ramos emphasized the need for the Labor Department to intensify workplace inspections and expedite claim processes, adding that it cannot be “complicit to employers who are consistently shortchanging their employees.”
Reports indicate wage theft is most prevalent in industries without labor unions, notably affecting marginalized communities like women or non-English speaking people of color. The state Labor Department claims to recover between $24 and $30 million in stolen wages annually.
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