Welcome to DU!
The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards.
Join the community:
Create a free account
Support DU (and get rid of ads!):
Become a Star Member
Latest Breaking News
General Discussion
The DU Lounge
All Forums
Issue Forums
Culture Forums
Alliance Forums
Region Forums
Support Forums
Help & Search
Wage theft: His paycheck bounced. It got worse from there.
By ALEXIA FERNÁNDEZ CAMPBELL
an hour ago
On a Tuesday afternoon last June, Humberto was yanking old wires from the walls of a middle school in suburban Birmingham, Alabama, when his cellphone rang.
Humbertos wife, who had just returned from her weekly trip to the grocery store, was on the line. Our account is negative, she said.
The 45-year-old electrician, who spoke on the condition that he be identified by his middle name because he is undocumented, had been working 10 hours a day, six days a week as part of a $200 million renovation project. This was how he learned that his $1,250 paycheck had bounced.
And so began Humbertos thus far unsuccessful quest to get an honest days pay for an honest days work a struggle familiar to many other victims of wage theft who battle for months or years for the money theyre due.
Companies that rely on low-wage workers are most likely to get caught cheating their employees, according to a Center for Public Integrity analysis of minimum wage and overtime violations from the U.S. Department of Labor. In 2019 alone, the agency cited about 8,500 employers for taking about $287 million from workers.
More:
https://apnews.com/article/theft-government-and-politics-business-d3ee8caa63efbd74d351eaeed6836b2a
InfoView thread info, including edit history
TrashPut this thread in your Trash Can (My DU » Trash Can)
BookmarkAdd this thread to your Bookmarks (My DU » Bookmarks)
4 replies, 2014 views
ShareGet links to this post and/or share on social media
AlertAlert this post for a rule violation
PowersThere are no powers you can use on this post
EditCannot edit other people's posts
ReplyReply to this post
EditCannot edit other people's posts
Rec (35)
ReplyReply to this post
4 replies
= new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight:
NoneDon't highlight anything
5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Wage theft: His paycheck bounced. It got worse from there. (Original Post)
Judi Lynn
May 2021
OP
Solly Mack
(90,762 posts)1. K&R
Sherman A1
(38,958 posts)2. The employer deserves jail time
And lots of it. If anything happens it will likely be a fine and slap on the wrist.
Wage theft is just so damn infuriating to me.
rampartc
(5,403 posts)4. nothing will happen to the employer
who will be hiring another undocumented immigrant .
humberto and his family will be deported.
quakerboy
(13,919 posts)3. Seems the general worst case
For employers stealing from employees is they have to pay the amount it can be proven they failed to pay.
Not much disincentive there.