Schakowsky's Wage Theft Amendment included in Appropriations Bill
Washington, D.C. – Rep. Jan Schakowsky offered an amendment to the Financial Services and General Government Appropriations bill on Tuesday that would prohibit federal funds from being used to contract with companies that have violated the Fair Labor Standards Act. The amendment passed by voice vote. Rep. Schakowsky issued the following statement following the vote:
“Wage theft – or the deliberate underpayment of American workers – is a major problem in our country. One study of workers in Chicago, Los Angeles and New York City found that 26 percent were paid below legal minimum wage levels, 76 percent were denied earned over-time, and 70 percent were not paid for work outside of their regular shifts. That is simply unacceptable.
My amendment will ensure that no funds from the Financial Services and General Government Appropriations bill will be awarded to a contractor found to be in violation of wage requirements under the Fair Labor Standards Act. It sends a clear message: obey the law and pay your workers the wages they have earned or you will not have the benefit of taxpayer-financed federal contracts.
Federal contract employees deserve to receive the dollars that they have earned. I am proud that this common sense amendment passed the House, and I will continue to work to ensure that all workers in this country receive the compensation they have been promised.”
Click here to read Rep. Schakowsky's full statement.
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