From the desk of Texas Senator Jose Rodriguez comes word that SB 1024 which would protect workers from employers who would otherwise skip out on paying them for their work, passed the Senate unanimously.
AUSTIN — Yesterday, State Senator José Rodríguez’s Senate Bill (SB) 1024 passed the Texas State Senate with a unanimous vote of 31-0. When signed into law, the measure will clarify existing law in order to reduce the number of workers who are not paid wages promised by an employer.
Annually, the Worker’s Defense Project receives complaints from workers accounting for nearly $7 million in unpaid wages.
“This bill will strengthen current law to make sure that those who do the work, get paid what they were promised,” said State Senator Rodríguez. “Although most employers follow the law, for those who think it’s acceptable to only pay partial wages, we must make sure the law is clear and that they are held responsible.”
In certain industries, such as construction, one in every five workers experiences wage theft. Day laborers in particular are significantly affected by this issue, with 50 percent having experienced wage theft. The impact of this theft is widespread and has caused many Texans to be unable to meet their families’ basic needs.
SB 1024 adds a section to the Texas Penal Code, which maintains that a person commits theft of service if, with intent to avoid payment, that person fails to make full payment after receiving notice demanding payment if the compensation was to be paid periodically.
DosCentavos.net is a supporter of the Texas Workers’ Defense Project and their lobbying efforts.
