News Notes: Labor Commissioner Clarifies Wage Protection For Undocumented Workers

Seeking to clear up confusion arising from the Supreme Court’s recent ruling that undocumented workers who are victims of unfair labor practices aren’t entitled to recover back pay, the California Department of Industrial Relations has released a statement clarifying its wage enforcement policy. The department’s position is that all California workers—whether or not they’re legally authorized to work in the U.S.—are protected by state wage and hour laws. Thus, all workers have a right to receive the minimum wage and overtime rates and to file complaints with the Labor Commissioner. And the department says that it will process wage claims without regard to immigration status.