Bill > S2939

This bill aims to prevent wage theft, promote employer accountability, and enhance public enforcement. The key provisions are: 1. Expanding the scope of employer liability for improper expenditure of withholdings or deductions from wages. 2. Changing the enforcement mechanism from civil and criminal to solely criminal proceedings. 3. Authorizing the Attorney General to file civil actions for injunctive relief, damages, and lost wages on behalf of employees, with the potential for treble damages. 4. Establishing joint and several liability for lead contractors, labor contractors, and labor subcontractors in cases of wage theft, with a notice requirement and an indemnification provision. 5. Empowering the Director of the Department of Unemployment Assistance and the Attorney General to issue stop work orders in cases of failure to pay contributions or wage theft violations, with a hearing process and protections for affected employees. 6. Increasing the maximum civil citation or order for violations from $1,000 to $1,000 or more, and expanding liability to include the president, treasurer, and officers or agents of a corporation.