City expands wage-theft ordinance

abc-7’s maria garcia is live with new details. maria? we’ve told you how the city passed an ordinance that doesn’t allow companies with a wage theft conviction to do business with the city. but the city is expanding that ordinance. and now – companies with wage theft convictions will be denied city permits or licenses that allow them to operate within the city. these are the kinds of businesses who need a permit or license from the city: food handling establishments – like restaurants. laundries. dealers of second hand goods. vendors and contractors.. and flea market operators. there were more than two dozen people at city hall supporting the ordinance. they say the changes to the ordinance give it teeth – because those convicted of wage theft will essentially not be able to do business in el paso. unless they prove they paid the employees they stole wages from or five years have passed since the conviction: “a company who steals from thei employees has not business doing business in the city of el paso.” “we’re not going to l them work until they pay what they owe in full. how is that not debtors prison?” city rep michiel noe whom you just heard from was the only rep who voted against the wage theft changes. the council got letters of support for the wage theft changes from state senator jose rodriguez, representative mary gonzalez and county commissioner david stout. and a quick update. today council set a date for a special election for district