Broken Laws, Unprotected Workers: Violations of Employment and Labor Laws in America's Cities

Broken Laws, Unprotected Workers: Violations of Employment and Labor Laws in America's Cities:

Study suggests:

Workplace violations are severe and widespread in the low-wage labor market.

Researchers find: 26% of low-wage workers were paid less than the minimum wage in the week prior to the survey, and 76% of those who worked more than 40 hours were not paid the legally required overtime rate.

Job and employer characteristics are key to understanding workplace violations--the industry and occupation of a worker's job was one of the strongest predictors of violations.

All workers - regardless of legal status, race, gender and nativity - are at risk of workplace violations, though some groups are more vulnerable than others.

More than two-thirds of our sample experienced at least one pay-related violation in the previous work week. Assuming a full-time, full-year work schedule, we estimate that workers lose an average of $2,634 annually due to workplace violations, out of total earnings of $17,616."