Report: White-collar Wage Theft Examined in Maryland

BALTIMORE – Working overtime off the clock, answering employee questions during off-hours, and being classified as a lower-level employee even when acting as a manager: those are examples of “wage theft” in a new report that tracks state policies to prevent wage theft, and Maryland is like most states because it lacks protections for employees.

Dianne Enriquez, a coordinator with Interfaith Worker Justice, a group that watchdogs wage theft, says it’s an issue that’s long affected blue-collar and lower-paid employees, but has become more prevalent for white-collar workers, especially in light of the recession.

“People don’t think they deserve the rights that they have. People don’t understand that even though they’re white-collar workers, they’re actually still quite vulnerable.”

The report from Progressive States Network estimates workers lose up to 15 percent of their earnings each year, on average, and Enriquez says recognition of the problem is lacking in better-paying jobs….

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