Beyond Enforcement: An Advocate for Georgia's Workers
The Labor Commissioner shouldn't just process claims—they should be a voice for working people.
Georgia workers face interconnected crises: $450 million stolen annually through wage theft, a minimum wage frozen at $5.15, and an economic system that leaves families struggling to survive. We need a Labor Commissioner who sees the whole picture and fights for systemic solutions.
The Mental Health Crisis is an Economic Crisis
When people can't afford rent, groceries, or healthcare on full-time wages, that's not a personal failure—it's a policy failure. The anxiety, depression, and stress plaguing Georgia families stems directly from economic insecurity. Workers deserve a Labor Commissioner who connects these dots and fights for systemic solutions.
Starting Where It Matters Most
Raising the minimum wage must begin with those who can afford it: major corporations like Walmart, large hospital systems, and national chains. These aren't small businesses operating on thin margins—they're billion-dollar entities built on Georgia workers' labor. A phased approach protects small businesses while ensuring working families can survive.
My Experience, Your Fight
I know wage theft personally. I lived through the exploitation, the gaslighting, the impossible choice between fighting back and keeping food on the table. That experience showed me how the system fails workers at every level—from stolen paychecks to poverty wages to the lie that we can't afford to pay people enough to live.
The Labor Commissioner's Role
As Labor Commissioner, I will:
- Advocate publicly for minimum wage increases and worker protections
- Call out major employers who profit from poverty wages
- Connect workplace justice to the broader economic policies that impact working families
- Use the platform to push for progressive taxation that funds safety nets and public services
- Enforce existing laws while fighting for better ones
Trickle-down economics failed. The ultra-wealthy don't create prosperity by hoarding wealth. Workers create value, and they deserve to share in it.
This is about survival. And the Labor Commissioner should say so.
Specific Policy Commitments
1. Aggressive Wage Theft Enforcement
- Proactive investigations of high-violation industries
- Dedicated enforcement team with real teeth
- Streamlined claims process that doesn't retraumatize workers
- Public database of employers with violations
- Partnership with community organizations to reach vulnerable workers
2. Transparency & Accountability
- Monthly public reports on enforcement actions
- Accessible online portal for claims and case status
- Regular community listening sessions across Georgia
- Clear, jargon-free communication about worker rights
3. Using the Platform
- Public advocacy for minimum wage increases
- Calling out major corporations profiting from poverty wages
- Testifying before the legislature on worker protection bills
- Building coalitions with labor organizations, faith communities, and advocacy groups
- Making the Commissioner's office a megaphone for workers, not a rubber stamp for employers
4. Protecting Vulnerable Workers
- Multi-language resources and staff
- Partnerships with immigrant rights organizations
- Special attention to industries with high exploitation rates (agriculture, construction, hospitality, domestic work)
- Protection from retaliation for workers who file claims
5. Economic Justice Advocacy
- Connecting worker protection to broader economic policies
- Advocating for progressive taxation that funds safety nets
- Pushing for healthcare access, childcare support, and other policies that help working families survive
- Speaking truth about how poverty wages create mental health crises, family instability, and community harm
The Difference
Most candidates promise to “enforce the law” and “process claims efficiently.” That's the bare minimum. I'm promising to fight.
I'll use every tool the office has—and every tool it doesn't but should. I'll make wage theft prosecutions public. I'll shame corporations that steal from workers. I'll testify, organize, advocate, and refuse to pretend that shuffling papers is enough.
The Labor Commissioner can be a champion or a bureaucrat. I choose champion.
Ready to Fight for Workers?
This isn't just about processing claims—it's about fighting for every worker in Georgia who deserves better.