Anti wage theft bill HF 38 introduced in the House

Iowa CCI Action Fund members have been busy getting the word out to  legislators on the depth of the wage theft problem in Iowa.

We need stronger legislation that protects our workers from being ripped off by unscrupulous employers. Representative Bruce Hunter introduced House File 38, a bill essential to stopping wage theft in our state.Last summer, the University of Iowa’s Labor Center and the Iowa Policy Project released an alarming report about wage theft in Iowa.  At our Kick off at the Capitol last January 15, a group of CCI Action Fund members shared some of the key findings of the report with Representative Greg Forristall (R-Macedonia), chair of the House Labor Committee.Here are some of the facts:

Every year…

• Iowa workers lose $600 million to wage theft across our state
• The state of Iowa loses around $68 million in unpaid revenue, unemployment taxes
• Industries most affected are construction, cleaning, restaurant workers
• Wage theft, in its many forms, disproportionally affects low-wage workers and immigrants

Wage theft takes a toll on the economy as it suppresses consumer power, has legal consequences for businesses and takes revenue away from our communities. You can read the full report here.House File 38 is essential to stopping wage theft in Iowa, and that is why CCI Action Fund members will be working through the legislative session to make sure this bill gets far at the Statehouse this year.

HF 38 would…

• Protect workers from unauthorized or unlawful pay deductions
• Inform workers of their wages paid based on mileage, work by the piece or loads — giving more transparency to working relationships
• Hold employers accountable for ethical business practices, such as accurate record-keeping related to employees’ hours and wages and giving pay stubs.
• Protect workers from retaliation from employers for claiming their rightly earned wages and establishes penalties for employers that break the law.

HF 38 would be an excellent complement to the Fair Labor Standards Act, a federal labor law already in place that aims to protect workers from exploitation, as it ensures that no employer can withhold wages for work completed, on the basis of someone’s citizenship or immigration status.CCI Action Fund members have already been talking with Representatives Hunter and Forristall to see ways that HF 38 becomes a reality. Forristall considered stopping wage theft “a priority”. It is now up to CCI Action Fund members to keep shedding light on the issue and putting pressure on our legislators to work on passing HF 38.

Join the fight

• Contact us for more information
• Join as an Iowa CCI Action Fund member today or chip in $20 to support our organizing on this issue.
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