#WageTheft disproportionately affects temporary workers and low-wage workers in sectors like construction, food services, health care, and retail—industries largely made up of workers of color.?To tackle wage theft in San Diego County, organizations like the MAINTENANCE INDUSTRY LABOR- MANAGEMENT COOPERATION TRUST FUND and Center On Policy Initiatives (CPI), which are grantee partners of Irvine's #FairWork initiative, have?teamed up with county leaders to create the Workplace Justice Fund. The fund is an example of co-enforcement programs, where labor standards enforcement agencies partner with community-based organizations that have existing ties with low-wage workers. This allows agencies to build on the progress that community partners have already made, ultimately expanding their reach and enabling them to more effectively recover unpaid wages.? ? Along with offering financial assistance to workers, the fund also sends officials to mediate wage theft disputes between an employer and a worker. Kyra Greene, Executive Director of CPI, said, “People fear that if they file a complaint, their employer is just going to kick them out of the job altogether. The Workplace Justice Fund is designed to try to encourage more people to address the issue of wage theft in real time.” ? ? Learn more in The American Prospect: https://lnkd.in/eQMEBpJk?
