SB23-231 Summary

• Allows the Division of Labor Standards and Statistics to disburse unpaid wages to employees from the Wage Theft Enforcement Fund if an employer fails to pay owed wages within six months after a determination or decision by the division or hearing officer.

• Makes fund money continuously appropriated to the division for wage payments to employees, separate from annual appropriation limits for division operating costs.

• Establishes that the division becomes the creditor for any amount paid to an employee and may continue pursuing repayment from the employer, with recovered amounts credited back to the fund.

• Requires the division to promulgate rules by December 29, 2023 specifying procedures and criteria for employees to request payments and for the division to review and resolve requests.

• Appropriates $12,657 from the fund to the Department of Labor and Employment for 0.2 FTE in fiscal year 2023-24 to implement the new provisions.