Southern California’s garment factories are facing scrutiny for underpaying workers who make clothing for some of the nation’s top retailers, including Nordstrom Inc. and Dillard’s Inc.
A new US Labor Department investigation of more than 50 garment-sewing contractors and manufacturers found labor violations in 80% of the cases. Half the time, workers were paid off the books, with records either deliberately forged or not provided, the department said.
The most egregious example was a contractor paying as little as $1.58 an hour, it said.
“This report speaks to the ongoing exploitation in the fashion industry, even in the United States,” said Maxine Bedat, director of the New Standard Institute, a sustainable fashion think tank. “No fashion company should benefit off of exploited labor.”
The findings come from the department’s first probe since California’s Garment Worker Protection Act took effect last year, mandating a minimum hourly wage for workers and holding brands more accountable for wage theft. Lawmakers in New York state and Congress are exploring similar initiatives to increase transparency in the industry’s supply chain.
Read more: Workers’ Rights Push Threatens Last of ‘Made in the USA’ Fashion
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