Made-in-USA Apparel Wage Theft Leaves Some Earning $1.58 an Hour

Southern California’s garment factories are facing scrutiny for underpaying workers who make clothing for some of the nation’s top retailers, including Nordstrom Inc. and Dillard’s Inc.

A new US Labor Department investigation of more than 50 garment-sewing contractors and manufacturers found labor violations in 80% of the cases. Half the time, workers were paid off the books, with records either deliberately forged or not provided, the department said.

The most egregious example was a contractor paying as little as $1.58 an hour, it said.

“This report speaks to the ongoing exploitation in the fashion industry, even in the United States,” ...