Department of Labor: Wage and Hour Division¿s Complaint Intake and Investigative Process Leave Low Wage Workers Vulnerable to Wage Theft

Department of Labor: Wage and Hour Division¿s Complaint Intake and Investigative Process Leave Low Wage Workers Vulnerable to Wage Theft
Author: Gregory D. Kutz
Publisher: DIANE Publishing
Total Pages: 35
Release: 2010
Genre: Law
ISBN: 1437915736

The mission of the Dept. of Labor's Wage and Hour Div. (WHD) includes enforcing provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act, which ensures that millions of workers are paid the fed. minimum wage and overtime. Investigations range from comprehensive investigations to conciliations, which consist primarily of phone calls to a complainant's employer. This testimony highlights an investigation regarding 15 case studies where WHD failed to investigate complaints. Kutz was asked to: (1) test WHD's complaint intake process in an undercover capacity; (2) provide additional case study examples of inadequate WHD responses to complaints; and (3) assess the effectiveness of WHD's complaint intake process, conciliations, and other investigative tools. Illus.

Department of Labor

Department of Labor
Author: United States Government Accountability Office
Publisher: Createspace Independent Publishing Platform
Total Pages: 36
Release: 2018-01-15
Genre:
ISBN: 9781983865992

Department of Labor: Wage and Hour Division's Complaint Intake and Investigative Processes Leave Low Wage Workers Vulnerable To Wage Theft

Department of Labor

Department of Labor
Author: Gregory D. Kutz
Publisher: DIANE Publishing
Total Pages: 57
Release: 2009-12
Genre: Political Science
ISBN: 1437919898

The mission of the Dept. of Labor's Wage and Hour Div. (WHD) includes enforcing provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), which is designed to ensure that millions of workers are paid the fed. minimum wage and overtime. Conducting investigations based on worker complaints is WHD's priority. This testimony relates to: (1) undercover tests of WHD's complaint intake process; (2) case study examples of inadequate WHD responses to wage complaints; and (3) the effectiveness of WHD's complaint intake process, conciliations (phone calls to the employer), and other investigative tools. To test WHD's complaint intake process, the auditor posed as complainants and employers in 10 different scenarios. Charts and tables.

Department of Labor

Department of Labor
Author: United States Government Accountability Office
Publisher: Createspace Independent Publishing Platform
Total Pages: 58
Release: 2017-09-20
Genre:
ISBN: 9781976197680

The mission of the Department ofLabor's Wage and Hour Division(WHD) includes enforcingprovisions of the Fair LaborStandards Act (FLSA), which isdesigned to ensure that millions ofworkers are paid the federalminimum wage and overtime.Conducting investigations based onworker complaints is WHD'spriority. On March 25, 2009, GAOtestified on its findings related to(1) undercover tests of WHD'scomplaint intake process, (2) casestudy examples of inadequate WHDresponses to wage complaints, and(3) the effectiveness of WHD'scomplaint intake process,conciliations (phone calls to theemployer), and other investigativetools. To test WHD's complaintintake process, GAO posed ascomplainants and employers in 10different scenarios. To providecase study examples and assesseffectiveness of complaintinvestigations, GAO used datamining and statistical sampling ofclosed case data for fiscal year2007. This report summarizes thetestimony (GAO-09-458T) andprovides recommendations.Congress should considerauthorizing suspension of thestatute of limitations while aninvestigation by WHD is ongoing.

Department of Labor

Department of Labor
Author: United States Government Accountability Office
Publisher: Createspace Independent Publishing Platform
Total Pages: 58
Release: 2018-02-02
Genre:
ISBN: 9781983920950

Department of Labor: Wage and Hour Division Needs Improved Investigative Processes and Ability to Suspend Statute of Limitations to Better Protect Workers Against Wage Theft

Department of Labor: Case Studies from Ongoing Work Show Examples in Which Wage and Hour Division Did Not Pursue Labor Violations

Department of Labor: Case Studies from Ongoing Work Show Examples in Which Wage and Hour Division Did Not Pursue Labor Violations
Author: Gregory D. Kutz
Publisher: DIANE Publishing
Total Pages: 18
Release: 2009-02
Genre: Law
ISBN: 1437908233

Over 100 million workers are protected through the Dept. of Labor¿s enforcement of labor laws. The Wage and Hour Div. (WHD) enforces provisions that ensure workers are paid at least the fed. minimum wage and for overtime. According to the Dept. of Labor, investigations range from comprehensive investigations to conciliations, which consist primarily of phone calls to a complainant¿s employer. This testimony highlights findings from an ongoing investigation of WHD¿s process for investigating and resolving wage and hour complaints. This testimony will report on cases that have been identified that shows inadequate WHD investigations of complaints. Illustrations.

Marginal Workers

Marginal Workers
Author: Ruben J. Garcia
Publisher: NYU Press
Total Pages: 196
Release: 2013-09-13
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 1479823589

Undocumented and authorized immigrant laborers, female workers, workers of color, guest workers, and unionized workers together compose an enormous and diverse part of the labor force in America. Labor and employment laws are supposed to protect employees from various workplace threats, such as poor wages, bad working conditions, and unfair dismissal. Yet as members of individual groups with minority status, the rights of many of these individuals are often dictated by other types of law, such as constitutional and immigration laws. Worse still, the groups who fall into these cracks in the legal system often do not have the political power necessary to change the laws for better protection. In Marginal Workers, Ruben J. Garcia demonstrates that when it comes to these marginal workers, the sum of the law is less than its parts, and, despite what appears to be a plethora of applicable statutes, marginal workers are frequently lacking in protection. To ameliorate the status of marginal workers, he argues for a new paradigm in worker protection, one based on human freedom and rights.

Critical Wage Theory

Critical Wage Theory
Author: Ruben J. Garcia
Publisher: Univ of California Press
Total Pages: 226
Release: 2024
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 0520388011

In this highly original and personal book, Ruben J. Garcia argues forcefully that we must center the minimum wage as a tool for fighting structural racism. Employing the lessons of critical race theory to show how low minimum wages and underenforcement of workplace laws have always been features of our racially stratified society, Garcia explains why we must follow the leadership of social movements by treating increases in minimum wage levels and enforcement as matters of racial justice. Offering solutions that would benefit all workers, especially the immigrants and people of color most often made victims of wage theft, Critical Wage Theory is essential reading for anyone who seeks a more just future for the working class.