Judge considers pact to bolster wage-theft enforcement

SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — A New Mexico district court judge is considering final approval of a legal settlement to bolster enforcement of wage-theft laws. Judge David Thomson has scheduled a hearing for public testimony Friday about an agreement aimed at better protecting workers from employers who fail to pay or fully pay for labor. The settlement would resolve an accusation that the Department of Workforce Solutions failed to enforce provisions of the state's Minimum Wage Act by improperly dismissing complaints, failing to pursue claims over $10,000 and not holding employers liable for damages. It stems from a lawsuit by several advocacy groups for workers' rights. The settlement would require that the Division of Labor Relations force negligent employers to pay back unpaid wages three-fold.