Proposed 'Wage Theft' Ordinance Would Target Business Licences and Permits

According to a draft ordinance that's schedule to go before the Somerville Board of Aldermen Thursday, businesses found guilty or liable of violating state wage-payment laws or aspects of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act could face the loss of their permits and licenses.

The draft ordinance gives city authorities the right to deny or revoke permits and licenses for such violations, giving the city more options for "protecting workers," explained Jackie Rossetti, a spokesperson in the mayor's office.

The proposed ordinance comes two days after a group of activists rallied at City Hall to seek a public hearing on "wage theft" in Somerville.

Somerville Patch blogger . Among other things, activists, organized by Centro Presente, an immigrant rights group, allege in a lawsuit that One World Cuisine, which runs Diva Indian Bistro in Davis Square, has not paid its workers over $183,000 in wages and has violated minimum wage and overtime laws. Activists say over $20,000 of those unpaid wages were for work conduced at Diva Indian Bistro. The activists have picketed the restaurant on a number of occasions.

Rossetti said the timing of the proposed ordinance isn't necessarily tied to the situation at the Davis Square restaurant. She did say the mayor's office is "supportive" of the work conducted by Centro Presente.

"We want to support our local organizations, for sure," she said.

Curtatone, speaking at Tuesday's City Hall rally, told Boston.com the proposed ordinance would begin a "very important discussion of ascertaining that people who invest and do business in Somerville invest not only in their business but [also in] their community as well as their workers."

Wilson told Boston.com, "In the course of the campaign, we realized that wage theft is a much bigger problem in Somerville than most people realize."