Bill > S2546

This bill aims to prevent wage theft and promote employer accountability. Key provisions include: 1. Allowing the Attorney General to initiate civil actions for injunctive relief, damages, and lost wages on behalf of employees affected by wage theft, with the potential for treble damages if the Attorney General prevails. 2. Establishing joint and several liability for "lead contractors" (businesses that obtain workers from labor contractors or subcontractors) for wage theft violations committed by those labor contractors or subcontractors, with some exemptions for smaller businesses. 3. Requiring employers to provide written notice to employees about their rate of pay, pay schedule, and other key employment information. 4. Authorizing the Department of Unemployment Assistance to issue stop-work orders against employers found to be failing to make required unemployment contributions, as well as the Attorney General to issue stop-work orders for wage theft violations. 5. Creating a Wage Theft Compensation Trust Fund to provide compensation to workers affected by wage theft in certain circumstances. 6. Increasing the maximum penalty for wage theft violations to $25,000.

https://malegislature.gov/Bills/190/S2546