Dive Brief:
- Several New York racetrack employers will together pay roughly $1 million to resolve wage claims, the state's governor announced Nov. 15.
- Nearly a dozen employers involved in horse racing were accused of violating minimum wage and overtime mandates and charging fees to employees working on visas. About 350 workers will share the recovery.
- The state's labor department commissioner, Roberta Reardon, said in a statement that the wage recovery "is a reminder of our no-tolerance policy for wage theft of any kind and that we will aggressively pursue justice and compensation for all workers whose wages have been stolen. We will not allow employers who cheat their workers out of pay to create an uneven playing field for all New York businesses."
Dive Insight:
New York's enforcement action is one of several similar moves the racing industry has faced in recent months. According to industry publication DRF, employers in the space are seeing a particular crackdown on alleged improper use of H-2B workers for "backstretch" positions.
Such enforcement actions — coupled with a general shortage of H-2B visas and low unemployment — have driven some employers to rethink their talent strategies.
Some have opted to automate, while others have prioritized independent contractors. Still more are working to upskill current employees, hoping to use today's employees as a talent pipeline for the future. Those who pursue multiple avenues or personalize their plan, however, may find themselves in the best position, according to one expert. "The workforce is changing rapidly and there is no one-size-fits-all approach," Cliff Justice, principal, innovation and enterprise solutions at KPMG, previously told HR Dive.