For Immediate Release
February 29, 2012
Contact Information

Office of Rep. Stafford
(850) 488-0625

(BPRW) REP. CYNTHIA STAFFORD ON FIGHT TO PROTECT WORKERS FROM WAGE THEFT

(BLACK PR WIRE) – TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- Representative Cynthia A. Stafford (D-Miami) today fought to save a Miami-Dade wage-theft prevention program that has recovered more than $1 million in unpaid wages for employees.

"Miami-Dade passed an ordinance in response to a big problem in the county. The time, effort and resources put into the program -- coupled with its success thus far -- should not be ignored or thrown away," said Representative Stafford when introducing her proposal to protect the Miami Dade wage theft prevention program. "Don't punish a county that responded effectively to a problem in the community through pro-active measures to protect the residents they serve."

Representative Stafford's proposed amendment failed, and the Florida House of Representatives approved House Bill 609, which bans municipalities and counties from implementing programs to protect workers from being victims of wage theft.

Representative Stafford said HB 609 will hurt workers and place unfair burdens on them. "It denies workers the rights to a jury trial and unfairly eliminates class actions," she said. "The ones who will suffer as a result of this bill are workers."