Customer Reviews

Wage Theft in America: Why Millions of Working Americans Are Not Getting Paid-And What We Can Do About It

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I see books as resources, and this book on wage theft is quiet interesting. Bobo provides specific information about the issues at stake, in addition to relating compelling stories. Certainly, she has a perspective on the problem, one that is supportive of workers who are experiencing wage theft, but she is very up front about her perspective. It seems to be an honest and well-researched offering.

Ask your friends and family if they have been ripped off by an employer, or classified as an "independent contractor," or been paid straight time for overtime. It's hard to find someone who has not been cheated at work.
Kim Bobo's impressive and practical book targets the kind of crime that doesn't make the evening news leads, but affects millions. Wage theft -- paying below the minimum wage, cheating on hours, failing to contribute payroll taxes, skipping the last paycheck, and appropriating tips -- is a practice the government barely bothers to police. Bobo works with the Interfaith Worker Justice movement and tells dozens of excruciating tales of the common ways bosses steal free work time from employees.
Have your teen kids read it, because they will unfortunately probably soon encounter wage theft. Knowing your rights is just a first step. But as an activist writer, Bobo also makes a series of policy recommendations that are sound, doable and probably just the right prescription for Obama's new Sec. of Labor Hilda Solis. While the Feds get their act together on enforcing the wage and hours law, us mere mortals can spread the word about how this form of cheating is indeed theft, and quite illegal despite its low position on most District Attorneys to-do list.

Kim Bobo's book Wage Theft in America is an excellent if depressing book about the state of things in wage-earning America. Far from being a rare occurrence, theft of wages is commonplace these days, merely seen as a clever operating practice by companies small and large. Private firms know that enforcement is weak and that there are virtually no penalties for violating the law. The U.S. Department of Labor's wage enforcers are too few to have a significant impace on this situation, and the Congress apparently is satisfied to let this situation prevail. Kim Bobo asks only decency and honest dealings from employers. Her book deserves to be read by millions.

Wage theft is a major issue in this country. I'm glad someone, especially someone like Kim Bobo, has finally produced something that will further educate people on the unjust treatment of workers across the nation. The book provides detailed accounts and statistics on this issue. It's a book that will change the labor movement forever, needless to say I highly recommend it on all levels.

The author makes good and valid points. However the book could have been summed up in less than half the amount of pages.

They plot injustice and say,
"We have devised a perfect plan!"
-Psalm 64:6

There is an unrefutable crime wave of employers across America stealing from their employees without remorse. Billions of dollars a year are being illegally stolen from the wages of their hard working honest employees.
Why? One, they can get away with it. Two, it's capatialism Wall Street style: GREED IS GOOD! Three, Scores of EXCELLENT Employers have been placed at a competitive disadvantage by their countless unscrupulous competitors, who consistently steal from their workers wages, and don't pay any taxes: federal, state, or local.
Isn't something being done? NO! Just as Wall Street steals Hundreds of Billions in the "little People's" taxes without fear/"Too Big To Fail" or Prosecute; the employers from small businesses to some of the nation's largest know the government's have too few investigators(In 1941 it was 1 investigator to 9,000 employers, today it is 1 to 170,000 employers & the disparity is growing!). The odds are better of lightning striking them. If lighting does stikes at all, their worst punishment is they must pay the workers what they are owed! But, if a workers steals from his or her employer, the worker faces SERIUOS consequences! It called capitalism Wall Steet style: he who has the gold makes the rules(Laws).
The author goes into detail how this has come about. She goes into the history of labor and its hard fought and won battles over the past decades, and how workers are hanging on by the skin of their teeth just to run in place, trying not to lose any more the U.S. worker's rights than they've already lost.
There are many examples of the differents methods used by employers to steal wages. These are then poignantly personified and examined. Also, since the author's organization is associated with other religious oranizations throughout America, she weaves into the narrative biblical scriptures that are directly related to the suject matter that is being focused upon. Loaded with government/bible quotes, statistics, facts, stories and more. This is an information/spiritually rich work that is not only important but morally imperative. We as a people must stand up and fight against the evils she so pointedly writes about.

Do not exploit the poor because they are poor
and do not crush the needy in court,
for the LORD will take up their case
and will exact life for life.

-Proverbs 22:22-23


HIGHLY RECOMMENDED !!!!!!!

A major portion of one's life is spent working, but there are those who would deny compensation for that labor. "Wage Theft in America: Why Millions of Working Americans Are Not Getting Paid - And What We Can Do About It" tells the story about a lesser known crisis in modern America where people are being paid less than minimum wage, and being forced to work unpaid overtime. Kim Bobo encourages readers to help stand against such practices where employers exploit their employees to make themselves richer. "Wage Theft in America" addresses this issue and offers many solutions.

Since when is anyone chained to a job? Apart from those willing slaves - the drones in civil service/gummint jobs - most others can quit, move, take, jobs at will. What drivel is this Bobo blabbering about?