DCBA Director Joseph M. Nicchitta and U.S. Department of Labor Western Regional Administrator Ruben Rosalez sign the agreement to continue investigating alleged wage violations.
The County of Los Angeles Department of Consumer and Business Affairs (DCBA) has extended a multi-agency partnership with the United States Department of Labor (DOL) and the State of California Division of Labor Standards Enforcement (DLSE) to assist workers experiencing wage violations at their workplace. DCBA enforces the minimum wage ordinance in the unincorporated areas of Los Angeles County and is contracted to enforce minimum wage laws for the City of Santa Monica.
Since its inception in November 2015, this collaboration of Federal, State, and local agencies has helped protect L.A. County workers by conducting joint investigations into alleged wage violations, sharing data, and cross-training on investigative methods and jurisdictional requirements.
Among the highlights in the first three years of this collaboration:
• DCBA referred more than 40 cases of State wage and hour violations to DLSE, five of which resulted in investigations.
• DCBA and DLSE’s joint investigation involved a staffing agency that resulted in over $50,000 in back wages owed to 63 employees.
• DOL staff provided DCBA staff with extensive training on how to detect fraud in payroll records and preventative methods such as surveillance.
• DLSE’s Bureau of Field Investigation staff trained DCBA investigators in field inspection of garment, car wash, and catering industries.
“This partnership has brought together the expertise of County, State, and Federal governments to provide high-quality service to L.A. County residents,” said Joseph M. Nicchitta, Director of the Department of Consumer and Business Affairs. “We are proud to continue this important collaboration to help effectively enforce fair wage laws for workers and employers in L.A. County.”
Representatives from DCBA and DOL participated in a signing ceremony on Thursday, Dec. 5, 2019 to sign a memorandum of understanding. The agreements between DOL, DCBA, and DLSE extend the collaboration to November 2022.
