CalMatters’ salaries thefts helps to inspire legislation


A man wearing a red hat and a red hood holds an orange yellow flag with the words "Fast food workers Unidos" until it hit a pizza spot.
Pizza Hut employees strike to protest the ongoing salaries and abuse of planning in Los Angeles on January 26, 2024. Photo from Lauren Justice for CalMatters

By a Calfatters Capitol reporter Jean Quang:

After a A series of 2022 Calmatters Documenting long waiting and low payments for workers who claim that their employers have cut them for salaries, California’s legislators have already offered bills to try to relieve the lag.

A measure, Senate Bill 310 from San Francisco Democratic Seni. WienerIt would allow workers to recover more money through private lawsuits instead of filing claims through a highly delayed system at the Labor Commission office.

Calmatters reported this Between 2017 and 2021, it was necessary for the position of the position of 505 days to decide on the requests for theft of the salaries of the workers – far longer than 135 days required by the state legislation. This waiting time has since grown to more than 850 days, Found state audit published last yearS

  • Eric MebustWiener spokesman: “We were truly struck by some of the reporting on how long people have been waiting and how broken workers are to receive compensation. When the defenders came to us, referring to (Calmatters’) reporting, it was a very compelling terrain. “

Workers who claim that salary theft can file private suits; Join the colleagues to judge the business on behalf of the state; Or file an individual claim to the service of the Labor Commissioner, which decides the claims in administrative hearing.

The last two options are insufficient, Mebust said: While the group’s court cases lead to faster resolutions than administrative claims, which usually lead to lower payments. The bill will allow workers who file individual private cases to request not only their lost salaries but also civil penalties.

The proposal is likely to receive discounts from business groups. The California Chamber of Commerce wrote in a blog publication 2023 that the state should process wage claims more quickly, but should not. “shift more application“To private lawyers. A group spokesman did not respond to a request for a comment on the bill.

Another bill, from FreMont’s democratic senses. Aisha WahabIt aims to encourage employers to pay more quickly after the workers have won their claims. Sb 261 Will require the service of the Labor Commissioner to publicly publish all his decisions against employers who have not yet paid claims. This will also allow the office to look for more fines against employers who do not pay within six months.

Calmatters found in the 2022 series that even after workers have earned their claims, only about one in seven court decisions are paid.


Calletatters events: On February 25 Calmatters’ Adam Echelman He will hold a panel to discuss what the state is doing to help the employment results of young Californians. Sign up here To attend the Japanese American National Museum in Los Angeles or practically. After that on February 26th, peace of mind Christen Talk to Oakland AssemblyMember My God about the maternity crisis of the state. Sign up here To be present.



A measure against slavery characterizes a new language

Illustration in collage style in Bardot, pink and beige tones that includes three cut images. The image on the right shows a black man who holds a shovel while it is extracted for gold. The central image shows the back of a deprived person while their hands are handcuffed. The image on the left shows two construction workers wearing hard hats and overalls with the text
Illustration from Adriana walk, Calmatters; California State Library, California Body for Prison Industry

The Californians voted against a proposal 6 in November, which would limit the use of forced prison work as a form of punishment. Now the supporters of the measure introduce it for 2026, Attracting the lessons they learned from last yearwrites Calmatters’ Joe GarciaS

One of the focus on supporting 6 supporters who include California’s legislative black croak and the special reparation group is the clearing of the language: forced prison work is considered one of the last remnants of legal slavery, but prop. 6’s Voting language I did not mention the term. This time his new version will point out: “Slavery in all forms is forbidden.”

Assembly Lori WilsonThe Democrat of the city of Suisun, who wrote the bill behind proportion. 6, also stated that voters were confused by the vote, stating that this prohibits state prisons “from discipling people who refuse to work.”

  • Wilson: “It was a suspension for many voters who supported the concept, but were concerned about this language that they could not be disciplined and what it means?”

Beyond the messages, Prop supporters. Deprived firefighters Who helped fight the wild fires of Los Angeles County – can help the cause.

Read more here

Cover up app for dating

Illustration of the hand of a woman holding a phone by spending a dating profile. The next profile shines red until the background network connects the phone with both red and white profiles
Illustration by Anson Chan

Match Group, the company behind Tinder, Hinge and more than a dozen dating apps, has known for years about violent users on its platform, but leaves its users in the dark. This is the result of An 18-month investigation According to the Dating Application Project, a cooperation that includes marking, which is now part of Calmatters.

Reporters Emily Elena Dougdale and Hanisha Harjani have raised hundreds of pages of documents of the internal company, together with thousands of pages of court records and securities documents. They found that women who reported they were raped were not grip as the accused rapes continue to move – and attack.

Our independent tests of their products led by CalMatters/Statistical Journalist of the marking Natasha UzcateGui-Liggett They found that despite the company’s promises, the ban on Tinder users – including those reported for sexual assault – could easily join or move to another match app for matching, while maintaining key personal information exactly the same.

Read more hereS

Finally: Femon’s camp regulation

A row of tents and improvised shelters, covered with tarpaulins and surrounded by personal belongings, outline a grassy area near the rail line under the cloudy sky. A man wearing a dark coat and a hat moves near a white tent. In the background, the train approaches the raised track, and scattered objects, bicycles and blue recycling bins are visible throughout the bearing.
Homeless Camps in Fremont on February 6, 2025. Photo from Dai Sugano, News Group Bay Area News

On Tuesday, the Fremont Municipal Council voted for a controversial measure that the defenders of homelessness claim to be used to direct activists and help workers. Find out What is the ordinance and what the City Council decided by the CalMatters Hourlyness reporter Marisa KendallS



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Lyn La is a writer of a CalMatters newsletter, focusing on the best political, political and Capitol stories in California every weekday. It produces and treats Whatmatters, the flagship daily newsletter of Salmatters …

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