In summary

New research shows that almost 2 in 5 California workers have experienced a workplace violation, but few report it because they fear retaliation. Lawmakers could address those concerns by creating a retaliation fund, educating workers on their rights and reconsidering the “at will” employment model.

Forty-eight striking janitors were fired at Twitter recently, representing the latest backlash from massive corporations hellbent on undermining momentum for unionizing workers.

Similar actions from Amazon and Starbucks have made headlines. But it’s not just billionaire bosses and Fortune 500 companies that intimidate and inflict economic pain on workers who speak up against abuse. New research shows how employer retaliation is too often the rule, rather than the exception.

Elected officials have made deliberate policy choices that leave workers at risk when they stand up for fundamental labor rights and protections from wage theft, unsafe workplaces or sexual harassment. Even the toughest laws on paper don’t mean much if workers don’t feel safe coming forward to report rule-breaking, or unfunded agencies don’t have the resources to investigate.

To build a strong economy and fight inequality, California’s new class of legislators need to change the imbalance of power that leaves workers vulnerable to retaliation.

After surveying 1,000 working adults in California and conducting focus groups in six different languages, a new report from the National Employment Law...

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