All too often, workers across the country are deprived of rightfully earned wages when companies do not pay minimum wages, deny overtime pay, or misclassify employees as independent contractors and strip them of important protections and benefits. When employers break the law, the impact is felt far and wide as workers take home smaller paychecks, law-abiding businesses are put at a competitive disadvantage, and taxpayers feel the squeeze when more families have to turn to public services to make ends meet.
The good news is that by enforcing laws already on the books, the U.S. Department of Labor and state governments are fighting workplace fraud and misclassification, ensuring fair pay for American workers and a stronger economy for everyone. On December 4, the Center for American Progress Action Fund will host a discussion with U.S. Secretary of Labor Tom Perez that will focus on a growing body of evidence – including a report recently commissioned by the Department of Labor – that shows that millions of American workers are victims of wage violations, illustrates the economic consequences of this fraud, and speaks to the critical role of enforcement in ensuring that hard work is rewarded with fair wages.