FT 13.05 – Expense Act (Awaiting signature)

[Unconditional Surrender Truman]

AN ACT
to ensure honest wages for honest work

Section 1 (Title)
i. The title of this Act shall be, the "Victims of Wage Theft Legal Expense Act." It may be cited as the "Expense Act."

Section 2 (Responsibility for paying expenses in wage theft cases)
i. In cases of alleged wage theft, where a court of this Commonwealth, or a jurisdiction thereof, should find an employer (hereafter "the defendant") withheld earned wages from an employee (hereafter "the plaintiff"), the defendant shall be responsible for all legal fees incurred by the plaintiff in the course of the case.

Sponsor: Harry S Truman, Speaker

The member from North Dakota has the floor.

[Unconditional Surrender Truman]

As it says on the tin, this legislation would allow courts to order the defendant in a wage theft case to pay the legal expenses of the plaintiff in the event the employer is found to have withheld earned wages from an employee. One study from 2009 estimates as much as $60 billion is stolen every year by employers who withhold earned wages from their employees (Source). At present, however, the prohibitive expense of pursuing legal resolution leaves workers in a position where they simply cannot afford to claim their earned wages. This bill seeks to address this issue by lifting the financial burden of reclaiming stolen wages.

[Unconditional Surrender Truman]

Don't all start at once.

[Scott🦋]

A straightforward solution to a very real problem.  This has my support.

I wonder if there is a way to take this a step further and prevent employers from retaliating against employees who complain about lost wages?

[Unconditional Surrender Truman]

A straightforward solution to a very real problem.  This has my support.

I wonder if there is a way to take this a step further and prevent employers from retaliating against employees who complain about lost wages?

I would certainly welcome an amendment.

[Scott🦋]

Amendment:

AN ACT
to ensure honest wages for honest work

Section 1 (Title)
i. The title of this Act shall be, the "Victims of Wage Theft Legal Expense Act." It may be cited as the "Expense Act."

Section 2 (Responsibility for paying expenses in wage theft cases)
i. In cases of alleged wage theft, where a court of this Commonwealth, or a jurisdiction thereof, should find an employer (hereafter "the defendant") withheld earned wages from an employee (hereafter "the plaintiff"), the defendant shall be responsible for all legal fees incurred by the plaintiff in the course of the case.

ii. It shall be unlawful for any employer who has been subject to complaints of withheld wages to retaliate against the plaintiff by means of job termination or wage deduction.

[raymundoflx]

Good bill, I will support this.

[Unconditional Surrender Truman]

Amendment is friendly.

[Unconditional Surrender Truman]

I move for a final vote.

[Unconditional Surrender Truman]

Seeing no objection, we proceed to a vote. Members will vote Aye, Nay, or abstain. Voting will last 48 hours or until all members have voted.


Aye!

[AustralianSwingVoter]

Aye

[Pericles]

Aye

[raymundoflx]

Aye

[Scott🦋]

Aye.

[Unconditional Surrender Truman]

With five votes in favor and none opposed, the resolution passes.

[Scott🦋]

AN ACT
to ensure honest wages for honest work

Section 1 (Title)
i. The title of this Act shall be, the "Victims of Wage Theft Legal Expense Act." It may be cited as the "Expense Act."

Section 2 (Responsibility for paying expenses in wage theft cases)
i. In cases of alleged wage theft, where a court of this Commonwealth, or a jurisdiction thereof, should find an employer (hereafter "the defendant") withheld earned wages from an employee (hereafter "the plaintiff"), the defendant shall be responsible for all legal fees incurred by the plaintiff in the course of the case.

ii. It shall be unlawful for any employer who has been subject to complaints of withheld wages to retaliate against the plaintiff by means of job termination or wage deduction.