Revocation of One’s Business License Now a Punishment for Wage Theft in Seattle

The City of Seattle passed an ordinance that makes ‘withholding pay from one’s employee’ a crime that could be punishable with losing one’s business license.

According to a press release by the law’s sponsor, Councilman Tim Burgess, quoted by The Defense Perspective, “The crime of wage theft — the act of intentionally withholding wages from workers — occurs across many different industries and types of businesses. The new ordinance gives the City better tools to prosecute offenders and the ability to refuse to issue, revoke or refuse to renew business licenses for violations of wage laws.”

The law was put into effect as a way of preventing employers from taking unfair advantage of low-wage workers by not paying them their promised earnings.

Victims of wage theft can now report their boss’s violation of the above ordinance by dialing 911. The City of Seattle will then notify the employer by a certified letter that his business license will either be revoked or won’t be renewed.

This information is brought to you by Business Licenses, LLC (www.BusinessLicenses.com), offering business license compliance software, services, and outsourcing. To learn more, visit http://www.businesslicenses.com/services_corporate.php.