Memo: How Cities Can Protect Workers from Wage Theft
By Nicole Hallett Associate Clinical Professor of Law, University of Chicago Law School
Introduction
Addressing wage theft is an essential part of providing economic security for working people, and if done correctly with robust enforcement, local wage theft ordinances can provide significant protections. These ordinances are also popular among voters. New polling from Data for Progress and The Justice Collaborative Institute shows overwhelming bipartisan support for local ordinances based on Columbus’ model, with Republicans supporting many anti-wage measures at about the same rate as likely voters overall:
72% of likely voters, including 72% of Republicans, support local governments creating Wage Theft Commissions to investigate and monitor employer compliance, hear complaints, recommend sanctions, and publicly report employers who engage in
wage theft.73% of likely voters, including 74% of Republicans, support withholding city contracts and other financial incentives from employers who commit wage theft.
74% of likely voters, including 73% of Republicans, support requiring employers that were found to have engaged in wage theft, whether through a civil court proceeding, arbitration finding, or otherwise, to report such findings to the city government.
75% of likely voters, including 74% of Republicans, support requiring employers to maintain payroll records for inspection by the Wage Theft Enforcement Commission.
73% of likely voters, including 74% of Republicans, support publicizing employers who were found to have engaged in wage theft.
