I don't believe this. More TAX DOLLARS going to ILLEGAL supporting organizations. Are these people IMMIGRANTS or ILLEGAL ALIENS?

Feds to help underpaid Morristown day workers

BY MINHAJ HASSAN
DAILY RECORD
Thursday, April 5, 2007

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MORRISTOWN -- The Department of Labor is expected to enter into a two-year partnership with the Wind of the Spirit immigration resource center to help provide resources in identifying contractors who are underpaying day laborers, officials said.

The formal signing of the agreement is scheduled for today at 2 p.m., at the Wind of the Spirit headquarters, 19 Market St.

Joseph Petrecca, district director for the Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division in Mountainside, said that while the two groups have had a longstanding relationship, it is important for immigrant day laborers to know they are entitled to fair wages.

" Often immigrant workers are reluctant to come ask for help because of fear," he said. "You are protected whether you are a citizen or not. You are required to be paid what the law requires."

While many of the day laborers may be immigrants, he said the Labor Department's job is to enforce the federal Fair Labor Standards Act, which guarantees every worker be paid a fair wage, regardless of their citizenship status.

Petrecca said his office acts as a liaison between the government and the immigrant population. Over the years, it has trained Wind of the Spirit officials to provide assistance to immigrants and screen them for employment opportunities.

One of the reasons Mayor Donald Cresitello cited for having local police officers deputized was to bring into question contractors who are shortchanging illegal immigrants on wages.

Wind of the Spirit member Stuart Sydenstricker was skeptical of that claim.

"That can't be further from the truth," he said.

Cresitello vowed the police will not profile Hispanics through the Immigration and Customs Enforcement program, formally known as 287G.

Petrecca said his office regularly investigates cases of unfair labor practices, mostly involving contractors and immigrant day laborers.

"We investigate the employers, examine their audits, interview other workers and determine if they are complying,"Petrecca said.

If there's a case of wrongdoing, Petrecca said the employer must provide restitution to the employee, immigrant or not.

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