The California Labor Commissioner’s Office has hit several developers and construction project operators in Los Angeles with citations totaling over $2.3 million. These fines came after an investigation uncovered serious wage theft and labor law violations affecting 124 construction workers.
The workers were often denied overtime pay, even though they regularly worked more than eight hours a day or over 40 hours a week. Many were also paid less than the minimum wage set by the city and were not given required sick leave or accurate pay statements.
One of the more troubling findings was that workers often received pay stubs from different companies, even when they worked under the same supervisors and on overlapping projects. This appeared to be a deliberate effort to dodge paying proper overtime and minimum wages.
The investigation also showed that workers didn’t get the paid sick time they were entitled to, including additional sick leave provided during the pandemic.
The total amount of citations includes more than $2.1 million in unpaid wages and damages, along with $165,000 in interest. On average, each worker is owed about $18,900, although the exact amount varies from person to person.
This case highlights ongoing challenges in the construction industry around fair pay and workers’ rights. It sends a clear message to employers who try to cut corners that these violations won’t be tolerated by California’s labor authorities.