Sonoma County District Attorney’s Office, U.S. Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division Sign Agreement to Coordinate Investigations, Outreach, and Training to Protect Workers’ Rights

District Attorney Carla Rodriguez announced today that the Sonoma County District Attorney’s Office has signed a memorandum of understanding creating a 5-year partnership with the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division. The specific goals of the agreement are to increase coordination between the two agencies in conducting outreach and education in the community, conducting joint investigations of wage theft law violators, and cross-training investigators and staff at both agencies with the goal of greater protection of victims of wage theft.

District Attorney Rodriguez stated, “The Sonoma County District Attorney’s Office is looking forward to working with the Wage and Hour Division to better protect our residents from unscrupulous employers.  We are dedicated to protecting our workers from all labor crimes including wage theft, fraud, and labor trafficking.”

“Our partnership with the Sonoma County District Attorney’s Office will help maximize and improve the enforcement of laws under our jurisdictions,” said Wage and Hour Division District Director Susana Blanco in San Jose, California. “This agreement will also encourage enhanced law enforcement and greater coordination between agencies.”

Workers who believe they are the victims of wage theft, or who want more information on rules and examples of wage theft, can call the Sonoma County District Attorney’s wage theft hotline at 1-833-889-2437 (1-833-88-WAGES) and visit the Department of Industrial Relations website for more information.