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Wisconsin AG seeks to stop Elon Musk's $1M payments at rally giveaway; Rural advocates urge CA lawmakers to safeguard banking protections; Federal, state job cuts threaten FL workers' rights, services; Alabama counties lack high-speed internet and health access.

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President Trump says there are ways for him to take a third term. New tariffs are scheduled for this week, but economists say they'll hurt buying power. And advocates say the Trans Day of Visibility is made more important by state legislation.

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Rural folks face significant clean air and water risks due to EPA cutbacks, a group of policymakers is working to expand rural health care via mobile clinics, and a new study maps Montana's news landscape.

WA companies among worst violators for withholding wages from workers

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Thursday, January 9, 2025   

A new report found Washington state is in the top 10 for wage theft, where employers withheld the most wages from workers.

Washington ranks ninth in the report, which analyzed wage theft violations and the amount of back pay owed per employee. Since 2021, Washington companies owed more than $500,000 in wages.

Liz Ford, assistant professor of law at Seattle University, who teaches the Workers' Rights Clinic, said wage theft is a huge issue for workers, with a report from the Economic Policy Institute finding companies likely owed employees more than $3 billion nationwide between 2017 and 2020.

"The EPI analyzed the data and demonstrated that if those workers who were paid less than the minimum wage were simply paid the minimum wage, we could significantly reduce poverty," Ford explained.

While wage theft is a problem in Washington, Ford noted the back pay owed in the state is probably larger than in other states because Washington's minimum wage is nearly $10 higher than the federal minimum wage.

Ford acknowledged most wage theft goes unreported because it affects the most vulnerable workers, often living paycheck to paycheck and with the least amount of power to fight back.

"Think of people who are living paycheck to paycheck, really need their job, and the risk of retaliation," Ford emphasized. "Even if it's unlawful, even if they could challenge it later, is not a risk they're willing to take for all kinds of very good reasons."

Seattle University's Workers' Rights Clinic provides free consultations to low-wage workers to help them understand their rights. Ford encouraged state and federal agencies enforcing wage laws to increase penalties and create real deterrents to wage theft. But she added the reality is penalties are rarely imposed.

"Unfortunately, an employer who violates the law, first of all, probably knows it's hard to come forward," Ford stressed. "And even if they do, are they going to get slapped with anything more than what they already owed? Probably not."


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