Wage theft as a neglected public health problem: an overview and case study from San Francisco's Chinatown District.
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.
Meredith Minkler is with the Division of Community Health and Human Development, School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley. Alicia L. Salvatore is with the Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA. Charlotte Chang is with the Labor Occupational Health Program, School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley. At the time of the study, Pam Tau Lee was also with the Labor Occupational Health Program, and Megan Gaydos with the Program on Health, Equity, and Sustainability, San Francisco Department of Public Health, San Francisco, CA. Shaw San Liu and Alex Tom are with the Chinese Progressive Association, San Francisco. Rajiv Bhatia was with the San Francisco Department of Public Health, and Niklas Krause was with the School of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco.
Meredith
M
Minkler
Alicia L
AL
Salvatore
Charlotte
C
Chang
Megan
M
Gaydos
Shaw San
SS
Liu
Pam Tau
PT
Lee
Alex
A
Tom
Rajiv
R
Bhatia
Niklas
N
Krause
D000328:Adult; D002681:China / Q000208:ethnology; D055812:Community-Based Participatory Research; D054242:Emigrants and Immigrants; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011634:Public Health; D012147:Restaurants; D012456:Salaries and Fringe Benefits / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012495:San Francisco / Q000453:epidemiology; D013800:Theft / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000078329:Workforce; D055815:Young Adult