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PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Tito Sinha, Director of Workers' Rights Practice at TakeRoot Justice
2:34:32
ยท
117 sec
Tito Sinha from TakeRoot Justice testified in support of increased funding for the Low Wage Worker Support Initiative, emphasizing its importance in protecting immigrant workers' rights and supporting DCWP's enforcement efforts.
- Requested an increase in baseline funding from $2 million to $3 million
- Highlighted the initiative's role in addressing wage theft, sick leave violations, discrimination, and retaliation
- Commended DCWP's paid care mediation program for domestic workers and collaborative efforts with advocates
Tito Sinha
2:34:32
Good afternoon, chairwoman Menon.
2:34:34
My name is Tito Senha.
2:34:36
I am the I direct the workers' rights practice at Taekwu Justice.
2:34:40
We thank the council committee for the opportunity to submit this testimony, which is in support of increased, robust, sustainable, and multi year baseline funding for the Low Wage Worker Support Initiative.
2:34:52
Low Wage Worker Support is the only dedicated city funding that ensures that low wage immigrant workers have redressed from wage theft, sick leave violations, discrimination, retaliation, and other workplace injustices.
2:35:06
In the past few years, the funding has supported our work in representing immigrant workers, including domestic workers before DCWP.
2:35:14
And as a result of DCWP's robust enforcement, workers have been able to recover back pay for unlawful retaliation, sick leave pay, and statutory penalties.
2:35:24
We've participated in DCWP's paid care mediation program for domestic workers, and we commend the agency for having that program.
2:35:33
We commend the agency and investigators and counsel for working collaboratively with our work as we believe our work supports the agency to better enforce the city's laws and its mission to protect workers' rights.
2:35:45
I'm here because rather than engaging in this yearly effort to renew this crucial funding, we request that city council council demonstrate its ongoing commitment to immigrant workers by renewing and expanding this baseline funding from $2,000,000 to $3,000,000 This expansion will stabilize the funding so low wage and immigrant workers can continue to receive this essential advocacy.
2:36:08
Now more than ever, low wage immigrant workers needs champions from advocates such as Taekwoo Justice and our allied partners, and they need a robust enforcement agency such as DCWP.
2:36:21
Our ability to continue this work under low wage workers support needs the city council, and we thank you for your support.