COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — The city of Columbus and the U.S. Department of Labor are partnering together to prevent wage theft.

The agreement is the first of its kind between the Department and Columbus and would address an issue that both say is growing in our community.

“Really, without this level of cooperation, it’d be very difficult for us to enforce our wage theft law here in Columbus, so this is really a very historic day to make sure that we’re able to fully implement these worker protections,” said Rob Dorans, Council President Pro Tem for Columbus City Council.

According to researchers with Policy Matters Ohio, on average, Ohio employers steal wages from around 213,000 workers a year.

Together, the city and the federal government are working to ensure that workers in Columbus are paid in compliance with all federal, state, and local laws.

They plan to do this through enforcement activities, staff cross-training, and public education.

Additionally, the agreement would give the city of Columbus access to the Department of Labor’s resources, in order to increase its outreach and enforcement efforts.