N.J. Town Enforces Day Laborer Ordinance

LOS ANGELES, CA - AUGUST 15: Day laborers wait near a Home Depot home improvement store in hope of finding work for the day on August 15, 2008 in Los Angeles, California. The Los Angeles City Council has unanimously approved an ordinance requiring some big-box stores to develop plans to manage dayworkers who gather nearby for employment. Under the new law, companies such as Home Depot and Lowe's may be forced to build day-labor centers with drinking water, shelter, restrooms, and trash cans at stores of 100,000 square feet or more if significant numbers of day laborers are in the area. Employers of the workers typically drive up to a group of workers, quickly negotiate a deal, and within moments selected workers get into the vehicle and are taken to the job site. Much of the work is done for construction and landscaping employers who buy some of their supplies at such stores. Some work comes from do-it-yourself homeowners. (Photo by David McNew/Getty Images) (2008 Getty Images)

The Lakewood Township Police Department will be issuing $250 summonses to people who attempt to hire a day laborer outside of a designated area in a municipal parking lot, according to the Asbury Park Press (N.J.).

The police this weekend were expected to begin cracking down on people who solicit services from the laborers, the newspaper said. Township officials passed the ordinance in February.

The ordinance makes it unlawful to solicit the services of people who look for work in places near roads and other locations that exist for public use, the paper said.

Lakewood Mayor Steven Langert said the ordinance aims to address the dangers that come with day laborers and potential clients discussing possible hiring in areas where their presence could interfere with the flow of traffic or put their safety at risk.

A group of day laborers, and other people who represent them, met with officials and expressed support for the ordinance, and the importance of enforcing it, the paper said. Day laborers who violate the ordinance also will get summonses.

The day laborers are concerned that unless most of their peers abide by the ordinance and seek employment only at the area designated by the township, the plan to keep day laborer activity structured will fail, the paper said.

Some official day laborer hiring sites around the country have failed after contractors have continued soliciting services of such workers in prohibited areas, thereby reducing laborers' incentives for using designated sites.