Springfield City Councilors introduce legislation to help fight wage theft (WWLP)

Watch City Councilor Jesse Lederman's interview with 22 News regarding his new legislation to combat wage theft and protect workers in the construction industry.

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) – Four Springfield City Councilors are taking action against wage theft.

City Councilors Jesse Lederman, Melvin Edwards, Orlando Ramos, and City Council President Marcus Williams are introducing legislation to ensure municipal contractors are not engaged in wage theft of employees.

According to the Mass Coalition to Stop Wage Theft, $700 million in wages are estimated to be stolen from workers annually.

This happens through misclassification of workers, non-payment of overtime, undercounted hours, and withholding of final checks.

“We do know that wage theft is endemic in the construction industry across the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and we have many construction workers here in the City of Springfield, so this is really about setting a standard in the industry,” said Lederman.

Similar laws have been passed in other Massachusetts communities including Worcester, Easthampton, Amherst, and Northampton.

These new ordinances will be introduced at the next Springfield City Council meeting on April 5.