EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) — Wage theft is a serious issue in Texas and the El Paso County Attorney’s Office is committed to doing its part to combat that crime, County Attorney Christina Sanchez said Monday, Sept. 2 at the annual Labor Day breakfast hosted by the El Paso Central Labor Union.
The average victim of wage theft in Texas loses about $4,000 per year or about 29 percent of their income, according to a 2023 study by the Workers Defense Project and Rutgers University.
Under Texas law, wage theft can be prosecuted as either a misdemeanor or felony, depending on the amount stolen, Sanchez’s office said.
“The law defines wage theft as occurring when an individual knowingly secures a service with the intent to avoid payment and fails to make full payment after being notified,” the County Attorney’s Office said.
“The County Attorney’s Office takes wage theft very seriously and is committed to fully prosecuting all cases,” Sanchez said in a news release. “We urge community members who believe they have been victims of wage theft to report the incident to law enforcement so we can take appropriate action.”
For more information about the El Paso County Attorney’s Office Wage Theft Prosecution Program, you can call at (915) 273-3249.
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