HB 17-1021

HB 17-1021, also known as the Wage Theft Transparency Act, aims to make public information about employers who violate wage laws. Currently, the division of labor standards and statistics can access employer records but is restricted from releasing certain confidential or trade secret information. This bill clarifies that details related to wage law violations must be made available to the public or used in court cases unless they contain specific trade secrets. Since it has been signed into law, this means that such violation-related information will now generally be accessible to the public and can be used in legal proceedings.

Official Summary

Current law requires employers to release requested information to the division of labor standards and statistics (division) in the department of labor and employment and allows the division to have access to employers' premises and all books, records, and payrolls of employers. Current law also prohibits the release of any of this information obtained by the division if the release of the information might reveal a trade secret. The bill clarifies that information obtained by the division that relates to a finding by the division of a violation of wage laws is not confidential and shall be released to the public or for use in a court proceeding, unless the director of the division makes a determination that the information includes specific information that is a trade secret. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)

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