Employer violation of overtime pay laws costs U.S. workers as much as $50 billion per year — but many are afraid to complain, out of fear of losing their jobs. In this video report, New Brunswick resident Carmen talks about her family’s struggle to survive on illegally reduced wages.
This story first appeared in NJ Spark, a Rutgers University social justice lab directed by Dr. Todd Wolfson.
About Post Author
Twitter: @lupofiascjoe
Hometown: Shamong, N.J.
Professor: Todd Wolfson
Class: Media, Movements and Community Engagement
Takeaway:
Producing this video opened my eyes to the terrible working conditions that undocumented workers are subjected to in this country. Although I was aware that workers are treated unfairly, getting the facts from an actual victim of wage theft really made the reality sink in. I hope this story brings awareness to the fact that business owners get away with taking money from their workers. The project was a challenge because I do not speak fluent Spanish. I had to work carefully with a translator to make sure the subtitles matched perfectly. However, it was good experience, as I’m sure I will work with more translators down the road.
