MANHATTAN DA CANDIDATE LUCY LANG RELEASES WORKER PROTECTION PLAN TO SAFEGUARD WORKERS’ RIGHTS

MANHATTAN DA CANDIDATE LUCY LANG RELEASES WORKER PROTECTION PLAN TO SAFEGUARD WORKERS’ RIGHTS & PROTECT VICTIMS OF LABOR CRIMES

Lang To Create First-ever Worker Protection Unit & Partner With Labor Unions & Advocacy Groups To Stand Up For Workers

December 29, 2020

Today, Manhattan District Attorney Candidate Lucy Lang released a plan to protect workers and hold employers who break the law accountable. In New York alone, up to $1 billion of hard-earned wages are stolen from workers by their employers every year through illegal practices including failing to pay overtime, classifying employees as independent contractors, taking tips, and withholding pay. These crimes are all the more harmful in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. Lucy has long advocated for workers’ rights, and called for prosecutors to take action to protect workers in April – at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.

As Manhattan District Attorney, Lucy will create a dedicated Worker Protection Unit to investigate all allegations of employers who steal from workers and commit crimes that harm them, and will fight to ensure that workers get the wages they’ve earned and the support and services they need. Lucy stands in support of gig workers fighting for a living wage, workplace protections, unemployment benefits, and to finally be recognized as employees.

As part of her plan, Lucy will partner with labor unions, advocacy groups, state agencies, and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to hold employers accountable for any personal or financial losses caused to workers as a result of criminal activity. Lucy will also provide wraparound services to victims of labor crimes – which disproportionately impact people of color, women, immigrant and low-wage workers, and young people – through a trauma-informed, clinically staffed Witnesses Services Unit.

“Crimes against workers cheat New Yorkers out of a billion dollars a year – hard earned money that families need to keep the lights on and food on the table,” said Manhattan District Attorney Candidate Lucy Lang. “I’m committed to ensuring that all workers – whether they work for a small business or large corporation – get the wages they have earned and are treated with the dignity and equity they deserve. As Manhattan District Attorney, I’ll ensure that victims and witnesses who report labor crimes are protected, and fight for workers’ rights by holding employers who break the law accountable.”

As Manhattan District Attorney, Lucy will:

Create a Worker Protection Unit that thoroughly investigates all allegations of employers who steal from workers or otherwise engage in criminal conduct that harms workers. By thoroughly investigating allegations of wage theft and other criminal activity, Lucy will help ensure that workers benefit from the laws designed to protect them.
Protect victims of labor crimes by implementing safeguards to ensure victims will feel comfortable reporting these crimes, regardless of their immigration status.
Provide wraparound services to victims of labor crimes through a trauma-informed, clinically staffed Witness Services Unit. Among other things, the Witness Services Unit will assist victims with accessing government programs, obtaining referrals to neighborhood services, and securing counseling.
Partner with unions, workers groups, OSHA and New York agencies to ensure that employers are held accountable for the economic and other harms they cause their workers to suffer. Crimes will not be treated differently because they occur at work, even if the employer is a powerful person or corporation.
Establish a hotline for workers to report abuses. Lucy will make it easier for frontline workers to report by providing extra hotline staffing during non-peak hours.
Advocate for the rights of gig workers and others, to ensure that all workers are protected and treated with the dignity and equity they deserve. Lucy stands in support of workers fighting for a living wage, workplace protections, unemployment benefits, and to finally be recognized as employees.

To learn more about Lucy’s priorities, visit her plans page.