Do Texas Businesses Steal Wages from Immigrant Workers?

Crooked employers have a tendency to prey on people who are most vulnerable, such as the elderly, the disabled and immigrant workers. The very people who might need the most support from their bosses are often those who are targeted for unfair treatment. A recent Texas lawsuit alleged that a local business was abusing its workers and stealing their wages.

Two employees, both immigrants, are suing their former employer with the help of The Civil Rights Project. Their attorneys claim that the restaurant where the men worked forced them to work 13-hour days without breaks, and 15-hour days on the weekends. The managers would regularly verbally abuse workers and paid them only $45 for a full day of hard work. This means workers were paid far below the federal minimum wage and denied overtime pay.

A Victory for Immigrant Workers

The case ended with a victory for the workers. The court ordered that the business owners pay $108,040.63 for unpaid wages and emotional damages. The attorneys and workers involved believe that the case is a larger victory for immigrant workers in Texas.

The attorneys in the case say that cases like these are common in Texas and around the country. Employers prey on undocumented workers in the belief that they have no rights. Bad employers see immigrant workers and other vulnerable groups as being easy targets for exploitation and abuse. The law has protections in place that give all workers basic rights like a minimum wage.

If you or someone you know has been the victim of workplace abuse, wage theft or any other unfair work practices, you should seek the counsel of an attorney. The law is here to provide justice.

Dan A. Atkerson is a Dallas employment attorney who fights for victims of wage theft and other forms of workplace injustice.