Today, San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo and Councilmember Dev Davis learned of serious allegations of wage theft that appear to have transpired on the construction site at the corners of West Julian Street and Stockton Street, where 249 apartments are being constructed. The allegations appear to relate to the subcontractor of another subcontractor on the project and involves a privately managed construction site with which there was no City investment or involvement beyond standard inspections and permit issuance. Based on preliminary information, the wage theft involves approximately two dozen workers engaged in electrical work, among other tasks.
“Wage theft has no place in the City of San Jose, and I call on state officials at the California Department of Industrial Relations to conduct a full investigation of all of the individuals involved to ensure that workers are made whole,” asserted Councilmember Dev Davis. “Wage theft is always inexcusable and especially so during these tough economic times when families are already struggling.”
“I have reached out to the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office, and DA Jeff Rosen has assured me that they will make the review of this case a priority, and where facts warrant criminal prosecution, they will prosecute the wrongdoers to the full extent of the law,” added Mayor Sam Liccardo.
District Attorney Rosen urged that anyone with information about this case should contact Assistant District Attorney Scott Tsui or Lt., Mike Whittington, at the District Attorney’s Office at 408-792-2801.
Both Mayor Liccardo and Councilmember Davis called for the acceleration of the City’s work on a wage theft ordinance. Although state law governs matters of wage theft, and the State of California’s Office of Labor Relations receives any complaints regarding wage theft, calls from the community have resulted in Council direction to staff to explore how and whether the City could supplement the state’s regulatory and enforcement authority of private construction projects to prevent wage theft.