To combat pervasive wage theft in New York, three new bills were introduced in the legislature that would punish violators.

  • Sanctus@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    This is too much of a wet dream to come true. Too much protections for the plebs.

      • Maggoty@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        It’ll be on the 20th consecutive time they get caught, with each catch having to be in a new time period. And if they go a year month without offending getting caught their counter resets. Also, if they get a lawyer there’s an arcane legal process to instead jail the employee.

      • guacupado@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        Yeah, notice how it says “proposed.” If it’s good for the general public, Republicans are going to shoot it down.

  • shalafi@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    Every time I look at wage theft stories and comments, I see people who don’t understand their rights under current law. Y’all aren’t helpless and getting robbed, you just don’t know your rights.

    Maybe a government funded ad blast would work better? Kinda like the “crying Indian” ad back in the day?

    • Sop@lemmy.blahaj.zone
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      1 year ago

      The rules are intentionally vague and information is intentionally not easily available. Additionally, many workers are not in a position to claim their rights because they are living paycheck to paycheck and legal processes are expensive and last very long.

      • Stumblinbear@pawb.social
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        1 year ago

        Most people don’t know that literally all you have to do is tell the government about the issue and they will spend the money to look into it themselves, as well as dealing with the court cases. It’s why the department of labor exists

      • shalafi@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        The employee does not pay a dime to fight labor issues. State have their own Department of Labor for that.

        • Sop@lemmy.blahaj.zone
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          1 year ago

          I hope you never have to experience how hard it can be to actually get your money. And as I said, even if there is a case it can take a very long time before you see any money. For someone living paycheck to paycheck this can mean losing their house. Put the risk of losing your job for making a case on top of that (employment at will). I understand completely why many workers don’t do it. The system is made to work against them.

        • Maggoty@lemmy.world
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          1 year ago

          So what you just told me is that in 25 states businesses can do whatever they want to their workers. This needs to be national, like the NLRB, and it needs teeth.

      • shalafi@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        My point is that the ad had reach. People paid attention, casual littering dropped through the floor. I was there, I watched it happen.

        We should find a clever way to get this issue of wage theft in front of people.

    • bionicjoey@lemmy.ca
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      1 year ago

      Part of the problem is that even if there can’t be any legal repercussions, it’s easy enough for an employer to manufacture a reason to fire someone if they fight back against this sort of thing. So people fear being fired even if they have a right to file a complaint about it.