The city comptroller is launching a campaign to reach out to more than a thousand workers who are owed more than $3.7 million in unclaimed wages. NY1's Michael Herzenberg filed this report.
Hector Padilla says he's very happy because he didn't expect the city to get him the $75,000 his employer failed to pay him.
He worked 10 hours a day, seven days a week for a contractor on a city project but was only paid $100 a shift.
"It's actually outrageous," says City Comptroller Scott Stringer.
The city comptroller sets the prevailing wage for municipal contractors in industries from construction to cleaning and in occupations from security to gardening.
"This not an extra. This is about people being paid for the work that they do," Stringer says.
Comptroller Scott Stringer says his office reached settlments with 21 companies that failed to pay workers on taxpayer-funded contracts the prevailing wage. They're barred from doing business with the city for five years and paid up.
"We've been able to find workers and give them their money," Stringer says.
But 1,056 people like Padilla are proving difficult to find. Their last-known addresses are in each of the five boroughs and many are immigrants.
Stringer's office has $3.7 million waiting for them and immigration status is not relevant.
Padilla, who says he's undocumented, tells others not to be afraid. If you think you were ripped off by an employer he says come forward.
The comptroller's website has a list of the 1,056 workers owed money, with the average amount being more than $3,000.
There's also a hotline. 212-669-4443.