Monthly Archives: October 2012

Wage Theft Is Illegal And Immoral

Kim Bobo

Today’s post comes to us from our colleague Leonard Jernigan of North Carolina. The work Kim Bobo is doing on behalf of working people is commendable and we hope that anyone who feels that they have been stolen from by their employer get in touch with her or us.

Kim Bobo, the Executive Director of Interfaith Worker Justice and the author of “Wage Theft in America,” recently spoke at Duke Divinity School and then at N.C. Central University School of Law in Durham, N.C. Ms. Bobo, who was awarded the Pacem in Terris Peace Award in 2012 (other recipients are John F. Kennedy, Mother Teresa, and Martin Luther King, Jr.), has a simple reason for the work she does: as a person of faith, she recognizes injustice and seeks to correct it. Wage theft, which is defined as stealing from workers what they have rightfully earned, is not only illegal it is immoral. She is simply trying to get people to do something about it.

In September a $4 million settlement was announced by the Harvard Club of Boston for not paying tips to its staff.

At N.C Central law school, Bobo spoke to students about waiters not getting tips, even though the restaurant collected those tips when the bill was paid, and asked if anyone in the room had experienced that type of theft. Indeed, one student shared a story about working at an exclusive club in South Carolina where that practice was routine. After reporting the problem and getting nowhere, he finally gave up and quit. He is still bitter about it. In September, a $4 million settlement was announced by the Harvard Club of Boston for not paying tips to its staff. Small amounts can add up for the employer.

Bobo gave some action items to the audience that I wanted to share with you.  She said we need to:

  • start recognizing the seriousness of the problem;
  • start getting attention about the problem in order to fix it;
  • stay focused; and
  • if necessary, cross of the lines of our comfort zone.

For more information about Interfaith Worker Justice, go to: www.iwj.org/

 

Prior results do not guarantee outcomes.
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The first time I see my lawyer, what will we talk about?

Today’s post comes from guest author Tom Domer from The Domer Law Firm. If you are coming in to see us for the first time, please feel free to give our office a call ahead of time so we can discuss what materials you will need to bring with you and what you should be ready to talk about with us.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=akdXzO0RXUw?rel=0&border=1&color1=004C87]

We find that clients are often worried about what they should prepare before coming to see their attorney for the first time. There is no reason to be afraid or intimidated of this first visit. The first time you see your attorney, the attorney will ask you a number of questions, but, in particular, you should expect to talk about 3 things:
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Prior results do not guarantee outcomes.
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