FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE     
April 17, 2009                                                    

Contact: Robin Metalitz, JUFJ
Office: 202-408-1423    

DEPARTMENT OF EMPLOYMENT SERVICES COMMITS TO STRONGER PROTECTIONS FOR DAY LABORERS AND OTHER WORKERS

JEWS UNITED FOR JUSTICE LEADS DELEGATION TO DELIVER LETTERS FROM JUFJ MEMBERS DEMANDING MORE ENFORCEMENT AGAINST EMPLOYERS WHO WITHHOLD WAGES

April 17, 2009, 9 am: JUFJ staff and volunteers, along with staff from DC Jobs with Justice and the Jewish Community Relations Council, an organizer from OPEIU L. 2 and two day laborers, went to the D.C. Office of Employment Services (DOES) to express concerns that wage theft against day laborers and other workers was not being properly enforced by the Office of Wage and Hour.  JUFJ delivered more than 130 letters written by JUFJ members at their Labor Seder, asking DOES and the Office of Wage and Hour to use all the tools at their disposal to enforce the rights of workers.

The delegation was met by Mohammad R. Sheikh, Assistant Director for Labor Standards at DOES, and Pamela Banks, Office of Wage and Hour at DOES.  After the group explained the reason for their visit, Mr. Sheikh quickly expressed his own support.  "No matter what has happened in the past, from this day forward we are here to help," he said.  He mentioned several major changes:

• From this point forward, a worker filing a claim can use a license plate number to help identify an employer who has withheld wages or otherwise mistreated workers. "Even if the owner of the vehicle was not the employer, we will ask them to identify who borrowed the car from them," Mr. Sheikh said. Day laborers have had difficulty filing claims in the past, because they did not necessarily know their employer's full name or address.
• If a worker files a claim against a long-term employer (an employer who has hired them for more than 20 hours a week), the DOES will be able to open concurrent investigations to see if the employer has committed other violations, such as not having paid unemployment insurance. (Note: this will apply only to employers who meet the 20+ hours a week rule. People who hire day laborers for small, short-term projects are exempt from having to buy unemployment insurance, etc.)

Mr. Sheikh reiterated several times that it provides its services regardless of immigration status.  He also emphasized DOES's ability to provide assistance in Spanish.

"We encourage workers to file claims whenever their rights are violated.  This is a human rights issue." Mr. Sheikh said.

At the end, Mr. Sheikh shared a piece of matzah with Rabbi Sarah Meytin, JUFJ Board Member and Assistant Director of the JCRC, as a symbol of his commitment to this issue.

"We are pleased with Mr. Sheikh's response to our concerns," said Rabbi Meytin.  "We look forward to continuing to work with the Department of Employment Services to find practical and creative ways to ensure that all workers in D.C. have recourse when they are exploited, that there are real and immediate consequences for withholding pay or mistreating workers, and that all workers are aware of their rights."

Photos from the event are available upon request.