Wage theft as a neglected public health problem: An overview and case study from san francisco's chinatown district

M. Minkler, A.L. Salvatore, C. Chang, M. Gaydos, S.S. Liu, P.T. Lee, A. Tom, R. Bhatia and N. Krause

American Journal of Public Health, 2014, vol. 104, issue 6, 1010-1020

Abstract: Wage theft, or nonpayment of wages to which workers are legally entitled, is a major contributor to low income, which in turn has adverse health effects. We describe a participatory research study of wage theft among immigrant Chinatown restaurant workers. We conducted surveys of 433 workers, and developed and used a health department observational tool in 106 restaurants. Close to 60% of workers reported 1 or more forms of wage theft (e.g., receiving less than minimum wage [50%], no overtime pay [> 65%], and pay deductions when sick [42%]). Almost two thirds of restaurants lacked required minimum wage law signage. We discuss the dissemination and use of findings to help secure and enforce a wage theft ordinance, along with implications for practice.

Keywords: adult; article; catering service; China; ethnology; female; human; legal aspect; male; manpower; middle aged; migrant; participatory research; public health; salary and fringe benefit; statistics; theft; United States; young adult, Adult; China; Community-Based Participatory Research; Emigrants and Immigrants; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Public Health; Restaurants; Salaries and Fringe Benefits; San Francisco; Theft; Young Adult (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2014
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (6)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:aph:ajpbhl:10.2105/ajph.2013.301813_0

DOI: 10.2105/AJPH.2013.301813

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