Special Notice / Hearing: None
Vote Required: 4/5th
To: Honorable Board of Supervisors
From: Stephen M. Wagstaffe, District Attorney
Subject: Grant Award with the State of California, California Department of Industrial Relations for the Wage Theft Grant Program
RECOMMENDATION:
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Adopt a resolution authorizing the District Attorney’s office to accept a Grant Award and enter into Grant Agreement with the California Department of Industrial Relations for the Wage Theft Grant Program, for a term commencing August 1, 2025 through October 31, 2026 in an amount not to exceed $750,000.
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BACKGROUND:
On June 2, 2025, the District Attorney’s Office submitted a grant application to the California Department of Industrial Relations for the Wage Theft Grant Program.
On July 1, 2025, the District Attorney’s Office received an award letter from the California Department of Industrial Relations for the Wage Theft Grant Program in an amount of $750,000 to combat wage theft, prevent unfair competition, and protect state revenue.
DISCUSSION:
The District Attorney’s Office is requesting that the Board authorize the District Attorney to accept the grant award and enter into Grant Agreement with the California Department of Industrial Relations for the Wage Theft Grant Program commencing August 1, 2025 through October 31, 2026 in the amount of $750,000.
The District Attorney’s Office is also requesting this Board to authorize the District Attorney’s Office to execute amendments to agreements which modify the County’s maximum fiscal obligation by no more than $25,000 (in aggregate), and/or modify the agreement term and/or services so long as the modified term or services is/are within the current or revised fiscal provisions.
County Attorney has reviewed and approved the resolution as to form.
COMMUNITY IMPACT:
Through the Workers’ Rights Enforcement Grant, the District Attorney’s proactive wage theft unit aims to deliver tangible, county-wide benefits by recovering unpaid wages for workers and deterring exploitative employers. By targeting high-impact investigations-such as the coastal cannabis farm case, the labor-trafficking case involving a Chinese national exploited while working as a nanny, and ongoing probes into various industries including farming and restaurants-the wage theft unit is expecting to secure hundreds of thousands of dollars in restitution, stabilize household incomes for vulnerable families, and level the playing field for law-abiding businesses. Close collaboration with community-based organizations and the new Office of Labor Standards Enforcement (OLSE) ensures culturally competent outreach, rapid victim assistance, and consistent referrals, while specialized inspectors and forensic auditors translate complex financial evidence into successful prosecutions. Collectively, these efforts advance the Board’s priorities of economic equity, public safety, and worker justice, demonstrating a measurable, multi-agency commitment to improving quality of life for San Mateo County residents.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The Wage Theft Grant Program is for a term commencing August 1, 2025 to October 31, 2026 in the amount of $750,000. There will be no Net County Cost. The value of this grant has been added to the department’s FY 2025-27 Recommended Budget.