Wage Theft a Concern From New York to California and Beyond

Why employee rights are back in focus on a state and national level

Labor leaders across Southern California have been fighting to increase the minimum wage for more than a year, which has been an uphill battle given that Los Angeles is known as the “wage theft capitol” of the country. The issues raised in California, however, are just one piece of a bigger puzzle involving allegations of wage theft all over the country from New York City to Orlando.

Even in a progressive city like Los Angeles, where labor unions still wield a fair amount of power, low-wage jobs are still far too common. Combined with the fact that many immigrants are willing to take these less desirable jobs, the market is ripe for wage theft. This makes the problem even more difficult to address. The worker may not even be aware of how wage theft happens. Paying a worker per piece or product created or classifying someone as an independent contractor aids employers with avoiding having to provide typical labor protections or pay. In bigger urban areas like Los Angeles and New York, the availability of so many low-wage jobs like day labor, restaurant work, domestic help, and car washes make it even easier for an employer to take advantage.

When a worker is a contractor, as is common in the janitorial services industry, the job might actually be contracted down through several layers of other companies, making it difficult to address labor conditions with an employer. The fact that so much information is required to file a complaint has not stopped the complaints being filed against alleged violators. In California, the line to file a complaint is usually quite long.

Some employees don’t know the benefit of having a wage theft attorney help them through the complaint process. With so much paperwork and backlogs in the system, meaning cases can go on for months or years, a knowledgeable wage theft attorney is a valuable asset to guide an employee through the process. Without help, it’s easy to get overwhelmed or feel as though your case is lost in the system. If you or someone you know has been a victim of wage theft in New York City, you need the guidance of the experienced team of New York wage theft attorneys at Hepworth, Gershabum & Roth, PLLC. To get advice about your case, set up a free consultation today by calling 212-545-1199 or contact us online.