PHOENIX – Ahead of Labor Day, Attorney General Kris Mayes today announced the formation of a dedicated worker protection unit within the Arizona Attorney General’s Office. Attorney General Mayes made the announcement as she accepted the Elected Leader of the Year award from the Arizona AFL-CIO. The new initiative will focus on protecting Arizona workers from exploitation and enforcing existing laws to promote fair competition in Arizona.
“I firmly believe that every worker deserves competitive pay for their work, a safe workplace, and to be treated with decency and respect,” said Attorney General Mayes. “We all know the true strength of our state comes from classrooms, construction sites, shipping yards, and everywhere hardworking Arizonans are moving our economy forward. And now, workers have an advocate in the Attorney General’s Office. There is so much more our state government can do to protect workers across our state and we are going to do just that.”
The new unit will focus on:
- Combating deceptive practices like employer misclassification of employees as independent contractors
- Fighting illegal wage theft and the unfair withholding of tips intended for workers
- Investigating and prosecuting tax and payroll fraud
- Working with other agencies to protect workers’ right to a safe work environment
- Challenging “no-poach” or other agreements between employers that depress wages and limit employee mobility
- Other issues that give an unfair advantage to companies trying to cut corners
The unit will also work to strengthen partnerships and collaboration with other state and federal agencies tasked with protecting the rights of workers.