Media Advisory for: Tuesday, April 10, 2018
Contact: Elizabeth Falcon, Executive Director, DC Jobs With Justice
elizabeth@dcjwj.org | 202-674-2872 (cell)
DC Workers Demand End to Wage Theft in the District
Workers experiencing wage theft speak out and present strategies to DC government officials for better enforcement of District labor laws.
Washington, DC — While the District has some of the strongest labor laws on the books, far too many companies in DC still fail to pay workers the minimum wage, overtime pay, and on time. Companies regularly misclassify employees as independent contractors, and refuse to allow their employees to take an earned sick or safe day. Strong laws are not enough without enforcement. The Just Pay Coalition – a coalition of local labor unions, community groups, and worker organizations – is hosting a town hall discussion on wage theft and what needs to be done to strengthen enforcement in Washington, DC. The Coalition is releasing a report – Making Our Laws Real: Protecting workers through strategic enforcement of DC’s labor laws – on best practices from around the country for strategic enforcement of labor laws; the solutions detailed in the report will be presented at the town hall. It is the responsibility of the Department of Employment Services (DOES) under the direction of the mayor to do more to enforce labor laws. DOES is currently lacking a permanent director, and now is a crucial time to determine what kind of leadership heads this important agency.
What: Stand With Workers Town Hall
Who: Workers experiencing wage theft; policy experts from the Just Pay Coalition; Councilmembers Elissa Silverman, Charles Allen, and Trayon White; government and the Deputy Mayor for Greater Economic Opportunity, Courtney Snowden. Event is open to the public.
When: Tuesday, April 10, 2018
6:30 – 8:00 PM (Doors open at 6pm)
Where: Westminster Presbyterian Church
400 I St, SW, 20024 (Nearest Metro: Waterfront, Green Line)
An electronic copy of the Just Pay Coalition’s Making Our Laws Real: Protecting workers through strategic enforcement of DC’s labor laws report can be found online at https://www.dcjwj.org/project/makinglawsreal/.
The DC Just Pay Coalition is a coalition of local labor unions, community groups, and worker organizations that is committed to ensuring successful implementation of The Minimum Wage Act of 2013, The Paid Sick and Safe Leave Amendment Act of 2013, and The Wage Theft Prevention Amendment Act of 2014.
