DC AG Racine steps up battle against wage theft

DC Attorney General Karl A. Racine (right) recently announced that the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) is launching an aggressive, comprehensive effort to hold abusive employers accountable and ensure that workers receive the wages they are owed. “The term ‘wage theft’ is not a metaphor,” said Racine. “The money in the cases we are bringing belongs to workers, and we want to make sure they get it.” Under newly expanded legal authority to investigate and pursue wage theft cases, the OAG has hired dedicated staff to bring enforcement actions against employers who deprive workers of pay and sick leave. The OAG has also launched free resources to empower workers to protect themselves, including a wage and hour log book to help workers document their pay and hours worked, as well as comprehensive information about the District’s wage and hour laws. OAG’s new worker resources are also available in Spanish. “While the overwhelming majority of employers follow the law, we will not tolerate the handful of employers who think they can cheat workers in the District,” Racine said. “Our office will bring the power of the government to bear against employers that make their money by stealing from their employees. And we will make sure that workers understand their rights and how to take action if employers violate those rights.”
Racine will be on Union City Radio's "Your Rights At Work" today at 1pm on WPFW 89.3FM; call in at 202-588-0893.
photo credit: Darrow Montgomery, Washington City Paper

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