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Von: labornews@labornet.org <labornews@labornet.org> Newsgroups: apc.labr.organize Datum: Dienstag, 26. Mai 1998 20:38 Betreff: CA Gov Fighting Minimum Wages For Workfare Participants
May 26, 1998
Calif., Feds Dispute Welfare Wages
LOS ANGELES (AP) -- State and federal officials
are embroiled in a dispute over whether welfare
recipients participating in welfare-to-work
programs should be paid minimum wage.
The state contends that people in welfare-to-work
programs who take community service jobs are not
entitled to minimum wage because the positions
amount to government assistance.
``These are aid recipients, not employees,'' said
Bruce Wagstaff, deputy director of the state
Department of Social Services' Welfare to Work
Division. ``We think we have a strong position
that the minimum wage is not applicable.''
Federal officials say private employers
participating in the community service program
that don't pay minimum wage might be violating
minimum wage laws.
``We don't believe the state's guidance is
accurate, and we are concerned that employers who
rely on the state's guidance will find themselves
with unexpected liabilities under the Fair Labor
Standards Act,'' a U.S. Department of Labor
official, who was not named, told the Los Angeles
Times in a story published today.
Maurice Emsellem, a lawyer with the National
Employment Law Project, which represents low-wage
workers, said California is the only state that
has a policy directly challenging the Department
of Labor's position on minimum wage.
Most California counties have not made a decision
on whether community service welfare-to-work
residents are ``employees,'' said Margaret Pena, a
lobbyist for the California State Association of
Counties.
California residents are limited to five years on
welfare benefits. Current recipients also are
limited to 24 consecutive months of aid, while new
applicants are limited to 18 consecutive months in
most cases.
Able-bodied recipients must earn their check
through community service, job-search activities
or job training. Recipients must accept any valid
job offer or risk losing an adult's share of
benefits.
Community service jobs are aimed at providing an
income for welfare recipients having difficulty
finding a more permanent job before their aid is
cut off.
While most welfare-to-work programs are still in
the planning stage, private employers, nonprofit
organizations and government agencies assist by
providing work experience for aid recipients.
Index of Welfare-Workfare-State Archives
Last Modified: July 1998