Last week, Senator Sal DiDomenico testified alongside labor unions, advocates, and workers in support of his wage theft legislation which would protect workers’ rights and hold companies that steal from their employees accountable for their actions. DiDomenico’s proposal would allow Attorney General Andrea Campbell to file a civil action seeking relief for damages, lost wages, and other benefits for workers. Campbell would also have the authority to investigate wage theft complaints and issue stop-work orders against employers who are violating wage theft laws.
Governor Maura Healey and Attorney General Andrea Campbell testified in support of this bill which would provide the Attorney General and workers with additional tools for holding violators accountable. Companies are stealing almost $1 billion in wages each year from workers across Massachusetts and this bill will go a long way towards preventing wage theft and helping employees reclaim their hard-earned money.
“It is indefensible that we allow businesses and contractors to prey on hard working residents year after year, and it is past time that we pass this bill to hold law breaking employers accountable and protect workers’ rights and wages,” said Sen. Sal DiDomenico, lead sponsor of the Senate bill. “When I first filed this bill in 2015, Massachusetts workers were losing $300 million per year in stolen wages and now that number has skyrocketed to almost $1 billion. We cannot wait another session to pass this commonsense proposal. I want to thank Governor Maura Healey, Attorney General Andrea Campbell, the Massachusetts AFL-CIO, my cosponsor, State Rep. Daniel Donahue, and all the advocates who are supporting my bill and standing up for workers in our state.”