Commissioner Diaz’s wage theft ordinance gets final approval

MIAMI-DADE COUNTY – The Miami-Dade County Commission on Oct. 3 gave final approval to an ordinance sponsored by Commissioner Jose “Pepe” Diaz to toughen penalties on employers engaging in wage theft.

The ordinance increases the fine for repeat offenders by up to 60 percent for multiple offenses and bars companies that engage in wage theft from doing business with the County.

The ordinance also establishes jurisdictional parameters whereby complaints involving between $60 and $15,000 in unpaid wages would be brought before a County Hearing Examiner and final orders would be enforceable as judgements in court.

“Miami-Dade County is shutting the door on wage theft. Getting paid for the work you do is a fundamental human right, and we will not tolerate abusive employers,” said Commissioner Diaz, who also sponsored another ordinance on March 7 amending the County’s wage theft ordinance to allow victims to recover attorney fees when going after deadbeat employers.