An investigation by the California Department of Labor has uncovered garment workers in Southern California earning as little as $4 an hour – less than half the state mandated minimum wage.
The investigation looked into 77 independently contracted factories, including ones that manufacture for Forever 21, Ross Dress for Less, and TJ Maxx, as well as Macy’s and Nordstrom, and found labor violations at 85% of them.
The Labor Department has ordered the factories to pay their employees $1.3 million in lost wages and damages. However, because the Labor Department can only penalize the companies that directly employ workers, the retailers that contract with the factories avoided any repercussions.
You can read more about the investigation at The Los Angeles Times.
