Crucial Conversation on workplace fraud Jan. 28th

Mandy Locke, News & Observer, guest speaker

If you care about the epidemic of wage fraud in North Carolina workplaces, the next Crucial Conversation hosted by NC Policy Watch on Wednesday, January 28th in Raleigh is one you won't want to miss!

What: Crucial Conversation with Mandy Locke, reporter at the News & Observer, about workplace fraud
When: Wednesday, January 28th at noon
Where: Center for Community Leadership Training Room at the Junior League of Raleigh Building, 711 Hillsborough St. (At the corner of Hillsborough and St. Mary’s streets)
RSVP: Space is limited so pre-registration is required - register here
Cost: Just $10 and that includes lunch!

More information from the event page:

There’s a multimillion dollar crime spree underway in North Carolina. Unfortunately, save for the efforts of a few intrepid journalists and lawyers, it’s a problem that’s mostly being ignored and swept under the rug. The issue is wage theft and the “misclassification” of workers by employers. As Raleigh’s News & Observer reported in a special report last fall entitled “Contract to Cheat”.

Please join us as we explore this huge and poorly understood problem and how state lawmakers and regulators might properly address it with the lead author of the “Contract to Cheat” series, investigative reporter Mandy Locke.

Since joining the N&O in 2004, Locke has written extensively about the legal system, child welfare and hospital disputes. Her investigative work has been honored nationally by the Michael Kelly Award and the Gerald Loeb Award for business reporting.

Locke will be joined by Raleigh businessman Doug Burton, President and Owner of Whitman Masonry. Burton is one of the numerous North Carolina employers who treats his workers fairly, plays by the rules and is regularly disadvantaged as a result of the state’s lax law enforcement in this area.

Fighting worker misclassification will be the focus of our 2015-16 legislative agenda because it not only robs taxpayers of $470 million a year but deprives workers of the wages and legal protections - like workers compensation and unemployment insurance - they would otherwise be entitled to if their employers didn't cheat the system.

We hope some of you will be able to join us for this most-crucial conversation!