Bill to Combat Wage Theft Clears Committee

Legislation would ensure workers are able to recover legally earned wages

DENVER, CO - The Senate Business, Labor, and Technology Committee today advanced Senators Jessie Danielson, D-Wheat Ridge, and Sonya Jaquez Lewis’, D-Boulder County, bill to modernize Colorado’s wage enforcement procedures and ensure workers are able to recover their legally earned pay.

SB22-161 empowers the Department of Labor and Employment (CDLE) to facilitate the collection of unpaid wages in wage theft cases by expanding investigatory authority to locate violators and streamlining enforcement of CDLE determinations in court. The bill also authorizes the Attorney General to partner with CDLE to investigate cases of wage theft and worker misclassification.

“Wage theft is far too prevalent in Colorado,” said Danielson. “It’s essential that we support the folks who work hard to keep Colorado’s economy running. This bill will ensure workers receive the full wages they have earned.”

“Right now, many workers are victims of wage theft without even realizing it,” Jaquez Lewis said. “With this bill, we’re empowering the Attorney General and CDLE to collaborate and combat cases of wage theft. We must make sure workers receive the wages they are rightfully owed, and that violators are held accountable.”

Wage theft deprives Colorado workers of at least $750 million in legally earned wages each year. Often, workers don’t realize they have been victimized or are too afraid to come forward, and if they do come forward too often they are unable to collect their unpaid wages, even after receiving a determination from the state government that wages were illegally withheld.

SB22-161 now heads to the Senate Appropriations Committee. Track the progress of the bill HERE.