Workers at Trump golf course allege labor violations

More than two dozen former employees of Trump National Golf Club in Westchester alleged earlier this year that they were subjected to numerous labor violations. They claimed that management took advantage of their status as undocumented immigrants to short-change them on pay and benefits.

Labor violations recently brought to light

Workers reported that they were denied basic rights granted to them by New York labor laws – laws which apply regardless of the immigration status of the worker. Exploited workers told attorneys about a host of unlawful practices such as:

• Some employees were forced to spend hours cleaning up after the club’s restaurant had closed and they had clocked out.
• Two men stated that they were required to work long hours one week without overtime pay followed by shorter hours the next. State labor laws prohibit this practice, which is known as “averaging hours.”
• Still others reported that, even after years of faithful service, they were not given the vacation time, retirement benefits, promotions, and health insurance that were available to documented employees.

Workers lost their jobs after bringing violations to light

The undocumented employees contend that the golf club’s management was well aware of their status, yet for years chose to look the other way. When workers reported these violations, they were promptly fired.

The Westchester County club’s firings cut the facility’s wintertime staff in half. Shortly thereafter, two other clubs followed suit, purging undocumented workers from the payroll. The Trump Organization, however, denies any prior knowledge of the employees’ immigration status. In a statement, the business insisted that it has the proper protocols in place to comply with wage and labor laws, and that the undocumented employees submitted fake identification in an attempt to secure employment.

The New York attorney general is currently investigating the workers’ claims.