A monthly bilingual wage theft clinic will begin to help Spanish-speaking workers get the pay they worked for but never received.
The first clinic will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. March 28 at the Young Latino Network (YLN), 3167 Fulton Road, suite 305, Cleveland. After that, the monthly clinic will be held at the same time at YLN on the fourth Wednesday.
Wage theft can take many forms. This includes workers not being paid Ohio’s minimum wage, which is $10.45. It can happen when a worker doesn’t receive the prevailing wage, which is usually the hourly rate contractors are required to pay workers on publicly funded projects. Wage theft also occurs when employers require workers to come in early to clean, set up or perform other tasks without paying them.
Addressing wage theft requires proactive enforcement and a commitment to meeting workers where they are. By partnering with Young Latino Network, we are bridging language barriers and expanding our reach to better serve Spanish-speaking workers in Northeast Ohio.”
Grace Heffernan of the Northeast Ohio Worker Center
The bilingual wage theft clinic is a partnership between YLN and the Northeast Ohio Worker Center (NEOWC). YLN is “a community-focused organization addressing the needs of the Latino community in Greater Cleveland.” NEOWC is “dedicated to advancing the rights of working people and fighting against labor exploitation.”
There are local wage theft laws, including in Cleveland. The city passed a wage theft ordinance last year. Cuyahoga County last year strengthened protections against wage theft. Euclid also has a wage theft law.
NEOWC already holds wage theft clinics. The monthly bilingual wage theft clinic adds to its push to end this illegal practice by employers.
“Addressing wage theft requires proactive enforcement and a commitment to meeting workers where they are,” Grace Heffernan of NEOWC wrote in a news release. “By partnering with Young Latino Network, we are bridging language barriers and expanding our reach to better serve Spanish-speaking workers in Northeast Ohio.”
Selina Pagan, YLN’s executive director, said education plays a major role in reducing wage theft
“Empowerment begins with knowledge, and through our collaboration with the Northeast Ohio Worker Center, we’re equipping our community with the tools to combat wage theft head-on,” she wrote in the release. “Together, we’re not just addressing an issue, but igniting a movement where every worker knows their worth and fights for it. “
For information about the bilingual wage theft clinics or to schedule an appointment, contact Andy Schumann, NEOWC Community Outreach Manager, at [email protected].