Denver City Wire

The city of Denver this year recovered a record $1.1 million in wage theft for workers, according to reports.

In a Dec. 16 tweet, Colorado Public Radio shared the link to a Denverite report that Denver had been hard at work recovering money from wage theft for workers. According to the report, Denver City Council tried to approve a measure that would safeguard workers against wage theft, but businesses expressed concerns. The proposal was sponsored by Council President Jamie Torres and Councilwomen Stacie Gilmore, Candi CdeBaca and Amanda Sawyer.

“We’re really going after people who are intentionally withholding wages, do not fix issues in 30 days and/or do not cooperate with the investigation, so this is not intended for people who make an honest mistake,” CdeBaca told the Denverite.

Members of the council’s Finance and Governance Committee said they supported the plan but agreed to postpone sending it to the council until local business leaders get to voice their opinions. A special session was scheduled for Dec. 20.

According to a report by the Colorado Fiscal Institute, more than $720 million in wage theft occurs each year, costing the state more than $45 million in lost tax revenues.

Moreover, on a Denver government website, City Auditor Timothy O’Brien pointed out that when underpayments are uncovered, it often is “because of an honest mistake and the business moves quickly to pay restitution to workers and raise wages permanently.”