Colorado Lawmakers Reject 'Wage Theft' Bill

DENVER (AP) - Colorado Republican lawmakers rejected a Democratic proposal that would make it a crime to withhold wages from workers.

The so-called "wage theft" bill failed Tuesday on a party-line House committee vote. The proposal would make it a misdemeanor to wrongly hold up to $1,000 in wages, and a felony for wrongly holding more than $1,000 in wages. Employers would not be charged if they demonstrated they were unable to pay owed wages.

The U.S. Department of Labor has recognized wage theft as a national problem. The agency has hired about 300 additional investigators since 2010 to probe wage theft complaints.

Opponents said new legislation would not solve the problem and that withholding workers' wages can be addressed under the state's existing theft statute.

LINK:  House Bill 1296

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