Wage Theft and Workplace Violations in Los Angeles: The Failure of Employment and Labor Law for Low-wage Workers

Abstract

This report focuses on the findings of a survey of 1,815 workers in Los Angeles County, conducted in conjunction with similar surveys of Chicago and New York City in 2008. Using a rigorous methodology, this research study included interviews with unauthorized immigrants and other vulnerable workers who are often missed in standard surveys. The goal was to obtain accurate and statistically representative estimates of the prevalence of workplace violations. All findings are adjusted so that they are representative of the larger population of front-line workers (that is, excluding managers and professional and technical workers) in low-wage industries in L.A. County in 2008. This population includes about 744,220 workers, or 17.0 percent of all workers in L.A. County.