1. Wage theft as a neglected public health problem: an overview and case study from San Francisco's Chinatown District.
- Author
-
Minkler M, Salvatore AL, Chang C, Gaydos M, Liu SS, Lee PT, Tom A, Bhatia R, and Krause N
- Subjects
- Adult, China ethnology, Community-Based Participatory Research, Emigrants and Immigrants, Female, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Restaurants, San Francisco epidemiology, Theft legislation & jurisprudence, Workforce, Young Adult, Public Health, Salaries and Fringe Benefits legislation & jurisprudence, Salaries and Fringe Benefits statistics & numerical data, Theft statistics & numerical data
- Abstract
Wage theft, or nonpayment of wages to which workers are legally entitled, is a major contributor to low income, which in turn has adverse health effects. We describe a participatory research study of wage theft among immigrant Chinatown restaurant workers. We conducted surveys of 433 workers, and developed and used a health department observational tool in 106 restaurants. Close to 60% of workers reported 1 or more forms of wage theft (e.g., receiving less than minimum wage [50%], no overtime pay [>โ65%], and pay deductions when sick [42%]). Almost two thirds of restaurants lacked required minimum wage law signage. We discuss the dissemination and use of findings to help secure and enforce a wage theft ordinance, along with implications for practice.
- Published
- 2014
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