NCL applauding DC City Council for Wage Theft vote – National Consumers League
July 14, 2014
Contact: Ben Klein, National Consumers League, benk@nclnet.org, (202) 835-3323
Washington, DC—Today, the National Consumers League (NCL), the nation’s pioneering consumer and worker advocacy organization, is applauding the Washington, DC City Council for its unanimous vote in favor of the Wage Theft Prevention Act of 2014. The bill is designed to create formal hearings with enforceable judgments, provide better access to lawyers for wage theft victims, strengthen the District’s worker protection laws, and increase penalties for employers who commit wage and hour violations.
“This is another great step towards protecting District workers from a destructive labor practice,” said Michell K. McIntyre, Outreach Director, Labor & Worker Rights. “We’re hopeful that Mayor Gray will sign the bill into law to better the lives of workers across Washington, DC. NCL thanks every member of the DC City Council for standing up for all District workers, showing strength and resolve to do the right thing in the face of industry opposition. The DC Council has set an exemplary standard for city and state legislators around the nation.”
The bill now heads to Mayor Vincent Gray’s desk. He has three options: he can sign the bill into law; veto the bill, sending it back to the City Council for a councilmember vote to override the veto; or he can choose to take no action and after a set amount of time the bill will become law.
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About the National Consumers League
The National Consumers League, founded in 1899, is America’s pioneer consumer organization. Our mission is to protect and promote social and economic justice for consumers and workers in the United States and abroad. For more information, visit www.nclnet.org.
