Title
Amending Title XXIII of the Legislative Code to add Chapter 224A titled Wage Theft.
Body
SECTION 1
WHEREAS, Chapter 224A of the City’s Legislative Code is the City’s Civil Wage Theft Ordinance; and
WHEREAS, the purpose of this Civil Wage Theft Ordinance is to eliminate and prevent the theft of wages earned by persons working within the geographic boundaries of the City of Saint Paul; and
WHEREAS, the City desires to promote the general welfare of workers by increasing economic security and dignity, and addressing the economic and social injustices experienced by Employees when they do not receive the wages they have earned; and
WHEREAS, wage theft is one of the most prevalent forms of theft in America and often goes unrecognized; and
WHEREAS, eliminating and preventing the theft of wages due to underpayment or nonpayment of wages that have been earned by Employees working within the city increases employees' ability to care for themselves and their families; and
WHEREAS, the City recognizes that wage theft has a domino effect on the health of communities, and workers whose wages are stolen cannot participate fully in the economy; and
WHEREAS, the City recognizes that victims of wage theft are often members of historically marginalized communities; and
WHEREAS, low wage workers are most affected by wage theft, and it is in the City’s ethos to empower such workers; and
WHEREAS, the City wishes to promote business and economic development through the elimination of unfair economic competition by businesses that do not pay or underpay their Employees; and
WHEREAS, the City wishes to safeguard the public welfare, health, safety, and prosperity of the people in the City of Saint Paul; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, that the City Council of the City of Saint Paul does hereby ordain:
SECTION 2
Title XXIII - Public Health, Safety, and Welfare is hereby amended to add Chapter 224A, titled Wage Theft as follows:
Sec. 224A.01 Declaration of policy.
The Council...
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