Inside LADA
September 6, 2023: District Attorney Gascón Announces Creation of New Labor Justice Unit, Historic Charges Filed in Wage Theft Case in South Los Angeles
Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón announced the creation of the office’s first Labor Justice Unit (LJU) today at a news conference. The District Attorney was also joined by State Labor Commissioner Lilia García-Brower to announce the filing of charges by the newly formed LJU in a seven-count felony complaint against owners of two garment industry businesses in South Los Angeles.
“I am pleased to announce the formation of my office’s newly established Labor Justice Unit. The Unit will bolster our existing fight to end wage theft and labor exploitation by providing a dedicated team of seasoned prosecutors and investigators whose focus will be the enforcement of these laws,” District Attorney Gascón said. “Los Angeles remains the wage theft capitol of the country. This historic unit will enable the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office to take greater action against financial crimes affecting hardworking Angelenos and their families.”
“Employers in this case knowingly and intentionally denied workers their hard-earned wages, paying workers as low as $6.00 an hour,” said State Labor Commissioner Lilia García-Brower. “These bad actor employers abused workers, defrauded the system and should not be in business. California needs more criminal prosecutions of wage theft to protect workers and honest employers from unfair competition. My office will continue to work closely with the LADA office to hold perpetrators accountable,” added García-Brower.
