Wage Protection Act of 2014 (SB 14-005)

• Establishes an administrative procedure for the Division of Labor to investigate and adjudicate wage complaints for unpaid wages or compensation of $7,500 or less per employee, effective January 1, 2015.

• Creates new definitions including "citation," "fine," "notice of assessment," "notice of complaint," "penalty," and "wage complaint" to clarify wage payment violations and enforcement mechanisms.

• Requires employers to retain employee pay statement records for at least three years and imposes fines up to $250 per employee per month (maximum $7,500) for violations of this requirement.

• Allows the Division to issue citations and notices of assessment, with employers able to reduce or waive fines by paying employees within 14 days; employers who fail to respond to notices face a $250 fine.

• Establishes a wage theft enforcement fund from collected fines to support division costs, and permits employees to elect to terminate the administrative process and pursue civil court actions instead within 35 days.