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Comptroller William C. Thompson, Jr. is reaching out to workers in a variety of occupations to encourage them to report any instances in which they are not receiving their legal wages.

The Comptroller has just distributed a new bulletin that identifies the living wages that home attendants, Head Start employees, day care workers, cerebral palsy workers, and security guards should be paid under the City's living wage law. The living wage law also covers temporary office employees, food services and building services employees who are entitled to the living wage or the local prevailing wage, whichever is higher.

"My office is empowered under City law to help workers get the wages they earned and are entitled to," Thompson said. "Currently, most of the workers in these titles which are outlined in the City statute should receive $9.60 per hour at a minimum, plus $1.50 in health benefits per hour. In July, the living wage rate will increase to a minimum of $10 per hour, plus $1.50 in health benefits per hour."

The new bulletin - which is in English and Spanish - is part of Thompson's efforts to ensure that workers are properly compensated. Just last week, the Comptroller announced a strengthened prevailing wage campaign to assist bricklayers, carpenters, electricians, painters, plumbers, sheet metal workers, and security guards who may not be receiving their legal wages.

"There is a reason that living wage laws are in place: to ensure that people are paid in a way that has been determined by law to be fair and equitable," Thompson said. "Living wage laws are about people, hardworking people. And my office will make every effort to enforce the law and bring people the money that they have earned."

The Comptroller's Bureau of Labor Law pursues both living wage and prevailing wage cases. Since 2002, Comptroller Thompson has distributed $5.9 million in restitution to underpaid workers and collected more than $520,000 in civil penalties, predominately in prevailing wage cases. Last month, the Comptroller announced the second highest ever settlement in a prevailing wage case, in which Netexit, Inc. underpaid 16 workers nearly $1.5 million for electrical work performed at 49 Human Resources Administration sites.

Thompson encouraged workers to contact his Bureau of Labor Law at (212) 669-4443 to report any instances in which employers are not complying with the law.

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