Wage and Hour Division (WHD)

Printer-Friendly Version

Press Releases

NEW YORK -- The U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD) and the Consulate General of Mexico in New York City have signed an agreement under which they will combine resources to educate and inform Mexican employees about labor law protections in the United States.

A signing ceremony was held today at the consulate. The alliance is entitled TEACH (Trabajadores Edifican Alianza en la Communidad Hispana) or “Workers Building Outreach in the Spanish Speaking Community.”

“We welcome this opportunity to join with the Consulate General of Mexico,” said Corlis Sellers, regional administrator for the Wage and Hour Division’s Northeast region. “Through our collaborative efforts, we hope to educate workers on their rights and assure them that they are fully protected under the statutes enforced by the Wage and Hour Division.”

Sellers noted that those laws include the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), the Migrant and Seasonal Agricultural Worker Protection Act (MSPA), and the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), among others.

Under the partnership agreement, the parties will: build and maintain a long term relationship of cooperation to assure workers’ rights are protected to the fullest extent possible; jointly participate in events aimed at educating Mexican nationals regarding their rights under the law; and distribute Spanish-language educational and compliance assistance materials to workers and employers in low wage industries that typically employ large numbers of minorities, including Hispanic immigrant workers. The consulate will act as a liaison between Mexican citizens and the WHD to report allegations of wage and hour violations, to assist in locating workers, and to assist in distributing back wages.

According to Philip Jacobson, district director for the WHD district office in New York City, an important part of this effort is a TEACH hotline in his office that Spanish-speaking workers can call for assistance from the WHD. The hotline number is (718) 254-9416. Workers can also obtain assistance by calling the Wage and Hour Division, toll-free, at 1 (866) 4US-WAGE (487-9243).

“It’s important that everyone understand that all workers are entitled to protection under the laws we enforce, regardless of immigration status,” said Jacobson. “When we enforce the rights of the most vulnerable workers, all workers and businesses are protected from unfair competition by unscrupulous employers.”

For more information on the laws enforced by the Wage and Hour Division, call the toll-free number noted above or go to the agency’s Web site at www.wagehour.dol.gov.

###

U.S. Department of Labor releases are accessible on the Internet at www.dol.gov. The information in this news release will be made available in alternate format (large print, Braille, audio tape or disc) from the COAST office upon request. Please specify which news release when placing your request at (202) 693-7828 or TTY (202) 693-7755. The Labor Department is committed to providing America’s employers and employees with easy access to understandable information on how to comply with its laws and regulations. For more information, please visit www.dol.gov/compliance.