AB 578

Under current law, the Department of Workforce Development (DWD) must

investigate and attempt to adjust any claim by an employee that his or her employer

has not paid the employee any wages that are owed to the employee (wage claim).

Currently, DWD may settle a wage claim for an amount that is agreed upon between

DWD, the employer, and the employee. If an employer does not agree to settle a wage

claim, DWD may refer the wage claim to the district attorney for commencement of

an action in circuit court to collect the wages due. If the circuit court finds that wages

are due, the court may order the employer to pay to the employee, in addition to the

amount of wages due, increased wages of up to 100 percent of the amount of wages

due and to pay a forfeiture of not less than $10 nor more than $100 for each offense.

This bill permits DWD to require an employer that pays a wage that is less than

the state minimum wage to pay to the employee, in addition to the amount of wages

due, increased wages of up to 100 percent of the amount of wages due. The bill also

increases the amount of the forfeiture that a circuit court may order the employer to

pay from not less than $10 nor more than $100 for each offense to not less than $25

nor more than $250 for each offense.