The Workers’ Rights Enforcement Grant is administered by the California Labor Commissioner’s Office under the Department of Industrial Relations, and is part of a two-year initiative funded through state legislation AB102. The grant is designed to support public prosecutors in enforcing labor laws and combating wage theft. For Year 2 of this program, which covers the period from August 1, 2025, to July 31, 2026, a total of $8,550,000 in grant funds will be competitively distributed. This initiative supports prosecutorial efforts to protect workers from exploitative labor practices and aims to improve fairness in California’s workforce.
Eligible applicants include public prosecutors defined as district attorneys, city attorneys, county counsels, or other city or county prosecutors who have an established workers’ rights enforcement program. Joint applications are permitted, though each partner must separately detail their share of the budget. Award amounts are capped at $750,000 per applicant, and all awarded funds must be used exclusively for staff salaries and benefits, including roles such as attorneys, investigators, paralegals, and forensic accountants. The grant explicitly excludes funding for equipment, travel, facility costs, or other non-salary expenses, though up to 5% of awarded funds may be used for an annual audit.
Applications must be submitted in PDF format to WageTheftGrant@dir.ca.gov by 5:00 PM on June 2, 2025. The application may not exceed ten pages and must include specific components: contact information, a problem statement, experience with wage theft cases, a strategic plan, partnerships with community organizations, expected outcomes, and a detailed budget. Incomplete or late submissions will not be considered. A Progress Report is due January 15, 2026, and an Annual Impact Report is required by July 31, 2026. These reports must not exceed five pages and should outline investigations, prosecutions, and outcomes achieved using the grant funds.
The grant applications will be reviewed by a panel of five voting members and advisory non-voting community leaders, all selected by the Labor Commissioner. Applications will be evaluated on past performance, collaboration with law enforcement and community partners, the potential for effective outcomes, and, for returning applicants, the impact of previous funding. All applications and related documents are public records and subject to the Public Records Act.
For any questions or assistance regarding the application, inquiries can be directed via email to WageTheftGrant@dir.ca.gov. Grant awards will be announced on July 1, 2025. Recipients are expected to return any unspent funds or those found to be improperly used by designated deadlines, unless an approved encumbrance plan is submitted by October 30, 2026.
