Anne Janks, a workers’ rights activist, is on the front lines of the economic crisis. She hears every day from people like Joe Buczek, who told her that when he recently lost his job at a gourmet grocery in Tampa, Fla., his boss told him to take his final pay in food and wine, rather than wait for his final paycheck. Not knowing where to turn for advice, Buczek called his friend Janks, who told him what his boss was doing is illegal. She directed Buczek to a legal form letter he could send to his boss demanding his rightful pay.
Not every unemployed worker has a friend like Janks, but now they can all take advantage of her work and advice. Today, Interfaith Worker Justice (IWJ) launched a new website, www.CanMyBossDoThat.com, which Janks designed. The site helps jobless workers understand their rights and protections and stand up for themselves. continue reading