WAGE THEFT - WORKERS CHEATED OF THEIR PAY – A BIG PROBLEM IN FLORIDA
WAGE THEFT – WORKERS CHEATED OF THEIR PAY – A BIG PROBLEM IN FLORIDA
New Report finds Wage Theft is Widespread in Florida
Wage Theft. It is what happens when someone is not paid for the work that they do. In some cases, it means that workers are cheated of their overtime hours, or they are not paid the minimum wage. It can mean that a worker is paid late or has their time cards or pay stubs altered. Sometimes, it is the result of workers being forced to work during meal times or breaks or being forced to work off the clock. Sadly, all too often and increasingly, it can mean that a person who has put in an honest day, week or even months of work does not get paid at all. Since the recession began in 2008, and in the ever-increasing anti-immigrant atmosphere in the country, the wage theft problem has only gotten worse.
The Farmworker Association of Florida has been working with wage theft victims ever since 2006. While some of the cases involve farmworkers, many more impact construction workers and hospitality workers, the two other industries that are the economic engines, besides agriculture, in our state. A great majority of the cases involve immigrants and undocumented immigrants, who are among the most vulnerable in our communities. Their situation is made all the worse by the fear and intimidation they feel with the harsh laws passed in Georgia and Alabama, their experiences of racial profiling, the hateful rhetoric dominating the news, and the heart-breaking detentions and deportations of friends, co-workers and family members. A new report just released by RISEP – the Research Institute on Social and Economic Policy – of Florida International University’s Center for Labor Research Studies documents the cases of wage theft recorded by various organizations in Florida, including the Farmworker Association of Florida. The report is disturbing. Even more disturbing, however, is the fact that, without this report, the issue would not even be on the radar screen of most people, as it is something that has not been readily addressed by the news media or by politicians. This report hopes to change that.
Jose came to our office this week. He had been working construction for a subcontractor doing repairs at a local hotel. He had worked there for over two months. The supervisor paid him his first week by check. After that, he was paid only in cash, and he was underpaid for the hours he worked each succeeding week. He continued working, because the subcontractor said he was waiting to get paid by the construction firm, at which time he would have enough to pay all the workers. That never happened. Jose was cheated out of thousands dollars of his wages. His case is not unique. The avenues for redress for such workers are virtually non-existent.
Take a few minutes. Read the report. Then, let your local and state leaders know that you are aware of this problem, and that you feel it is an injustice that is not tolerable. Be informed. Then, get active. Thank you.