The California Labor Commissioner’s Office issued citations totaling $372,135 against 14 garment manufacturers and contractors for labor law and garment registration violations, following inspections at 18 locations last month in the Los Angeles area, it was announced Thursday.
The businesses that were cited collectively employ 170 workers in the Los Angeles garment district, according to Labor Commissioner Julie A. Su.
“Garment manufacturers who thwart the law threaten workers’ rights and undermine honest employers in the industry, making it difficult for legitimate businesses to succeed,” she said. “These illegal entities should take note: We will shine a light on the underground economy and those who contract with unregistered contractors will also be held accountable.”
The penalties included $275,835 in fines and stop orders for seven employers operating without workers’ compensation insurance coverage. Fourteen businesses were cited $34,300 for garment regulation violations, including failure to register as a garment manufacturer, display their garment registration or maintain required records.
Investigators also confiscated 5,725 illegally manufactured garments with an estimated street value of $103,000 from six of the businesses. As clothing confiscated from illegal operations cannot be sold, the items will be donated to a nonprofit agency for dissemination to homeless and domestic violence shelters in the Los Angeles area, according to Su.
Her office, which is officially known as the Division of Labor Standards Enforcement within the Department of Industrial Relations, is also pursuing wage theft investigations involving those employers who failed to pay proper wages under the California Labor Code.
The Garment Manufacturing Act of 1980 requires that all industry employers register with the Labor Commissioner and demonstrate adequate character, competency and responsibility, including workers’ compensation insurance coverage. Garment manufacturers that contract with unregistered entities are automatically deemed joint employers of the workers in the contract facility.
Employees with work-related questions or complaints can contact DIR’s Call Center in English or Spanish at 844-LABOR-DIR (844-522-6734).
–City News Service