Tag Archives: minimum wage

Five protestors were arrested last week in Philadelphia for blocking traffic in an effort to call attention to a crime that is a menace to hourly workers nationwide: wage theft. Wage theft can refer to any number of ways in which an employer shorts employees on the pay they are legally entitled to, be it by paying less than minimum wage, not paying overtime, making people work off the clock, dipping into tips or refusing to pay last wages for workers …

During the recession, many middle-wage jobs were lost and replaced with lower-paid work. Many of these jobs pay the minimum wage, which is set at $7.25 an hour by federal law. Eighteen million workers earn the national minimum wage, which comes to $15,080 a year for a person who works full time. This is below the federal poverty threshold of $15,130 for a family of two, $18,498 for a family of three, or $23,550 for a family of four. By …

The National Labor Relations Act of 1935 did not include basic labor protections for household workers like nannies, caregivers and cleaners. Almost 80 years later, almost all domestic workers are still unprotected. Domestic workers are not covered by federal minimum wage laws or the minimum wage laws of most states. Generally, these workers are not eligible for unemployment insurance or protected by antidiscrimination or workers’ compensation laws. A 2012 survey found that 23 percent of domestic workers made less than …

Fast food workers walked off the job last week across New York City in a surprise effort aimed at increasing their paychecks and the creation of an unusual union. Employees at Burger King, Domino’s, McDonald’s, KFC, Pizza Hut, Taco Bell and Wendy’s participated in mini-strikes last Thursday as part of the “Fast Food Forward” campaign that seeks to double the average pay to $15 an hour. The strikes, organized by pro-union group New York Communities for Change, have the ultimate goal …

EEOC Targets Pregnancy Discrimination Pregnancy brings a host of new concerns to an expectant mother’s life — but whether she’ll be forced out of her job shouldn’t be one of them. Pregnancy discrimination has become a hot-button issue for the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, which enforces federal laws prohibiting employment discrimination. If your employer thinks your pregnancy makes you a liability, it may be in trouble. Find Out More…   Red Lobster Short-Changes Servers to Avoid Obamacare Sticking it to …