Gov. Quinn Signing Wage Theft Legislation

Workers rights advocates are praising an Illinois bill that promises to speed up the process of how wage theft claims are processed.

Gov. Pat Quinn is set to sign the bill into law Friday. It stiffens penalties for employers who shortchange or don't pay workers.

The law also gives the Illinois Department of Labor have more oversight in dealing with the 10,000-plus wage theft claims it gets annually.

The agency will have a designated division and fund to deal directly with claims of $3,000 or less.

Chris Williams is director of Chicago's Working Hands Legal Clinic. He says the changes speed up the process, particularly for those who need it most.

Experts say wage theft is an increasing problem in the downturned economy, particularly for low wage and immigrant workers.