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WHAT VIRGINIANS ARE SEEING: ATTORNEY GENERAL JAY JONES SHARES WEEKLY ROUNDUP OF ACTIONS TAKEN ON SEPT. 4, 2026
RICHMOND, Virginia, Sept. 5 -- Virginia Attorney General Jay Jones issued the following news wrap up on Sept. 4, 2026:
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WHAT VIRGINIANS ARE SEEING: ATTORNEY GENERAL JAY JONES SHARES WEEKLY ROUNDUP OF ACTIONS TAKEN
Protects Virginians through establishment of new units, protects children online, and spotlights outreach team
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Attorney General Jones continues to deliver on his promise to fight for Virginians through the establishment of the Worker Protection Unit and the Federal Accountably Unit. In addition, the Office of the Attorney General recently secured a landmark child-safety
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RICHMOND, Virginia, Sept. 5 -- Virginia Attorney General Jay Jones issued the following news wrap up on Sept. 4, 2026:
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WHAT VIRGINIANS ARE SEEING: ATTORNEY GENERAL JAY JONES SHARES WEEKLY ROUNDUP OF ACTIONS TAKEN
Protects Virginians through establishment of new units, protects children online, and spotlights outreach team
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Attorney General Jones continues to deliver on his promise to fight for Virginians through the establishment of the Worker Protection Unit and the Federal Accountably Unit. In addition, the Office of the Attorney General recently secured a landmark child-safetysettlement of $353 million with Meta. The Office of the Attorney General also spotlights the community engagement work being done by the Outreach Team.
Protecting Virginians
Attorney General Jay Jones shared how both the Worker Protection Unit and the Federal Accountability Unit will protect Virginians from rights violations, and how securing a $353 million settlement with Meta is just the start of the fight to hold Big Tech accountable.
PRESS RELEASE: Attorney General Jay Jones Announces Creation of Worker Protection Unit to Protect Virginia Workers and Promote Fair Competition
"For the first time in the history of the Office of the Attorney General of Virginia, working people will have a dedicated enforcement team fighting for their rights on the job. Under my orders, this unit will protect workers, enforce the law, and hold bad actors accountable," said Attorney General Jay Jones. "We will investigate wage theft, uncover misclassification schemes, and protect workers from retaliation. When an employer refuses to follow the law, we will take action. To every employer that pads profits by cheating working people, hear me clearly: the cost of breaking Virginia law is about to go up."
MeidasTouch: Workers Unite as VA Moves to Protect Workers in Their Workplaces
"Folks feel like they don't have someone who's got their back that it's too expensive for them to go to court on their own dime. And for me, this is a message to the folks of Virginia that we are here to help and we are here to fight on your behalf so that you get the money that you're owed, that you are not being classified as something that you are not so that you can be paid less when you work, you're supposed to be paid. And so that's something that we're committed to," said Attorney General Jones.
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"This is a state that protects its workers, that cares about its workers, that wants to make sure that the workforce is provided for. I think with that back stop, you're going to see a lot more folks across Virginia who have the confidence to speak up and speak out. You know, you hear so many stories about folks who have been silenced, who have been, you know, afraid to say anything because of the imbalance that has existed for far too long. This is a moment when we are finally changing uh how we think about it here in this commonwealth."
PRESS RELEASE: Attorney General Jones Forms Dedicated Legal Unit to Confront Unprecedented Trump Administration Overreach
"I have a fundamental responsibility as Attorney General to defend the Commonwealth and protect Virginians when the federal government exceeds its authority," said Attorney General Jay Jones. "I promised to put Virginia first, and the Federal Accountability Unit will take on Trump administration actions that hurt Virginians, from tariffs that exacerbate the cost crisis, to the damage left behind by DOGE. My team will be ready to act when Trump holds critical funding hostage, when federal policies threaten Virginia workers and families, or when the President attacks our democracy. The creation of this unit ensures dedicated personnel and resources are in place to fight back in court and protect the people we serve."
InsideNoVA: Virginia Attorney General creates unit to challenge federal actions
Virginia Attorney General Jay Jones is creating a four-attorney unit dedicated to challenging actions by the Trump administration that his office says exceed federal authority or threaten the commonwealth's interests.
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"I have a fundamental responsibility as Attorney General to defend the Commonwealth and protect Virginians when the federal government exceeds its authority," Jones said.
The unit will focus on issues including federal funding, elections, health care, immigration, environmental protections, consumer issues, constitutional rights, tariffs and other economic policies.
Augusta Free Press: Jay Jones rolls out new Trump accountability team in state AG's office
The new Federal Accountability Unit that Jay Jones rolled out today is why we needed to elect a Democrat to be our attorney general last fall.
A release from the AG's office calls the unit "a new team within the Office of the Attorney General dedicated to confronting Trump administration actions that exceed federal authority and threaten Virginia's interests.
"I promised to put Virginia first, and the Federal Accountability Unit will take on Trump administration actions that hurt Virginians, from tariffs that exacerbate the cost crisis, to the damage left behind by DOGE," Jones said in a statement.
"My team will be ready to act when Trump holds critical funding hostage, when federal policies threaten Virginia workers and families, or when the President attacks our democracy. The creation of this unit ensures dedicated personnel and resources are in place to fight back in court and protect the people we serve," Jones said.
The portfolio for the unit will include issues of federal funding, elections, healthcare, immigration, environmental protections, consumer issues, constitutional rights, tariffs and other economic policies, and the fallout from DOGE cuts to the federal workforce.
Cardinal News: Notes from the Square: Virginia attorney general forms legal unit to challenge federal overreach
Attorney General Jay Jones announced Thursday that his office has formed the Federal Accountability Unit to challenge what he called federal overreach.
The new unit will investigate Trump administration actions that exceed federal authority and threaten Virginia's interests, Jones' office said.
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"I have a fundamental responsibility as Attorney General to defend the Commonwealth and protect Virginians when the federal government exceeds its authority," Jones said in a statement. "I promised to put Virginia first, and the Federal Accountability Unit will take on Trump administration actions that hurt Virginians, from tariffs that exacerbate the cost crisis, to the damage left behind by DOGE."
He added that the team will be "ready to act when [President Donald] Trump holds critical funding hostage, when federal policies threaten Virginia workers and families, or when the President attacks our democracy."
Among the issues that the unit will handle are federal funding, elections, healthcare, immigration, environmental protections, consumer issues, constitutional rights, tariffs and the continuing fallout from federal workforce cuts. It also aims to coordinate multistate litigation and work alongside other states' attorneys general on cases involving Trump administration policies and actions.
"We understand the weight of this work and the stakes for Virginians," Keenan said in a statement. "We will move quickly, defend the Commonwealth, and meet unlawful action with the full force of the law. Our charge is to anticipate and counter emerging threats, build the strongest cases possible, and ensure the state is prepared when its interests or its people are put at risk."
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Also this week, Jones' office announced that Virginia is slated to receive $364 million from recent billion-dollar multistate settlements with Meta over social media addiction claims and data sharing.
Jones said that a portion of Virginia's settlement funds will go toward remediating harm caused by social media platforms and supporting social media literacy for parents.
"We are really excited to put this money into efforts that are going to continue to help protect our kids," Jones told reporters on Wednesday. "We're going to make sure that they're going to be used for a variety of purposes, like unplugged programs and activities for kids that are going to help combat this loneliness and social isolation that we've seen from this online existence."
Virginia is scheduled to receive its first payment, an undisclosed portion of the full amount, within 30 days of approval of the settlement by the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California.
Meta is required to implement sweeping child-safety reforms on Instagram and Facebook. The settlement was reached after attorneys general from 52 states and U.S. territories, including Virginia, claimed that the company deceived the public regarding mental health harms its social media products can have on teens.
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Both the implementation and efficacy of the features will be regularly assessed by an independent auditor and the settling states.
The settlement also resolves Virginia's claims against Meta for sharing private information about Facebook users with third parties leading up to the 2016 election. The commonwealth will receive an additional $11 million through that settlement, Jones' office said.
PRESS RELEASE: Attorney General Jay Jones Announces a $17 Billion Landmark Settlement with Meta with $353 Million Guaranteed for Virginia
"For years, Meta intentionally deceived the public about the addictive and harmful design features that have wreaked havoc on youth mental health. I am elated to announce a settlement agreement that will put an end to these dangerous practices and deliver meaningful relief that will protect children from online harm," said Attorney General Jay Jones. "For the past five years, this office and its dedicated public servants have stood tall against one of the largest tech giants in the country and refused to back down in the face of costly and time-consuming investigations, legal battles, and sophisticated legal schemes to prevent accountability. Today's historic settlement proves that no matter how deep a company's pockets, or how vast their legal armies, when major corporations and Big Tech companies put the safety of our children at risk to turn a profit, Virginia will bring them to justice. With this relief, Virginia will finally be able to put substantial resources behind initiatives to undo these harms, prevent future harms and change the face of how young people interact with social media for years to come by continuing to hold social media companies accountable."
C-SPAN: "In Virginia, we have drawn our line in the sand."
"This is certainly something that is historic, not just for Virginia but across the country. We have not just a landmark settlement in terms of dollar figures, but the guardrails to keep Americans secure," Attorney General Jones said. "We are going to hold everybody accountable, no matter who you are. If you are doing harm to our kids, we are going to come after you."
WHRO: Virginia AG, Henrico Co. senator not done with Facebook following Meta settlement
A legal win against Meta may bring new reforms and hundreds of millions of dollars to the Commonwealth. But one state Senator who pushed for stricter reforms isn't done fighting.
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Beyond the more than $350 million dollars coming to the Commonwealth, Meta says it'll add new rules for minors on Facebook and Instagram. This includes age verification, daily time limits and quote "check in breaks" in an effort to dissuade endless scrolling. Many of the reforms align with changes demanded by VanValkenburg under a 2025 state law he authored.
But that law is currently on hold on First Amendment grounds, with a federal judge in Alexandria writing the state "does not have the legal authority to block minors' access to constitutionally protected speech until their parents give their consent."
Jones appealed and argued the lower court got it wrong because the law, "imposes only an incidental burden on speech."
"After completing the age verification, adults are free to access any speech on any social media platform for as long as they would like, and minors are free to access any speech on any platform for as long as their parents would like," Jones' filing reads.
The Richmond-based Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals disagreed and kept the law on hold in an order issued Monday.
The 2025 law also goes further than the settlement; for example, VanValkenburg wanted 1-hour limits, Meta said they'd limit teens to 2. The Senator wants the state to keep fighting to defend his law, and AG Jones said he plans to.
"The Meta settlement is a huge win, but we can walk and chew gum at the same time," Jones said in a voice memo sent to Radio IQ. "And just as we did with Meta, we intend to prevail."
Community Outreach
The Office of the Attorney General's Outreach team is the local point of contact for communities across the Commonwealth. Coordinators and Community Liaison Officers (CLOs) connect with residents and local leaders, educating and informing Virginians on the resources and work being done by the Office.
Before students in Chesapeake headed back to school, they attended the Chesapeake VA Rules Camp. Each year, the OAG partners with local law enforcement agencies across the Commonwealth to host "Virginia Rules" camps. These camps offer young people fun, interactive instruction on Virginia's law and build positive relationships between local law enforcement and campers.
TRIAD Coordinator Ben Bickel and CLO Taylor Davis were invited to speak at the Upper King William County Senior Citizens Center about frauds and scams. The Outreach team was able to answer questions from community members, connect with local law enforcement, and share information about OAG resources like MFCU, TRIAD, and Consumer Protection. At the Chickahominy Area TRIAD August meeting in New Kent County, MFCU CLO Randy Davis spotlighted recent cases closed by the unit. In Washington County, Shenandoah County, and Botetourt County CLOs Amy Duncan, Ajashu Thomas, and Lara Bussert connected with seniors in the community.
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Original text here: https://www.oag.state.va.us/media-center/news-releases/3112-what-virginians-are-seeing-attorney-general-jay-jones-shares-weekly-roundup-of-actions-taken-14
Va. A.G. Jones Awards More Than $800,000 for Families Following Historic Victory in Fair Housing Case
RICHMOND, Virginia, Sept. 4 -- Virginia Attorney General Jay Jones issued the following news release on Sept. 3, 2026:
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Attorney General Jones Awards More Than $800,000 for Families Following Historic Victory in Fair Housing Case
Attorney General Jones announced today that after securing a historic victory in a fair housing case involving racial discrimination, his office has successfully collected and returned more than $800,000 to the Virginians impacted by the discriminatory practices. On Wednesday, September 2, 2026, Attorney General Jay Jones presented the Mills and Smith families
... Show Full Article
RICHMOND, Virginia, Sept. 4 -- Virginia Attorney General Jay Jones issued the following news release on Sept. 3, 2026:
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Attorney General Jones Awards More Than $800,000 for Families Following Historic Victory in Fair Housing Case
Attorney General Jones announced today that after securing a historic victory in a fair housing case involving racial discrimination, his office has successfully collected and returned more than $800,000 to the Virginians impacted by the discriminatory practices. On Wednesday, September 2, 2026, Attorney General Jay Jones presented the Mills and Smith familiestheir payouts of more than $400,000, which is the largest payout to individual complainants in the history of the Virginia Fair Housing Office and Office of the Attorney General.
The case concluded in February 2025 when a jury found that the defendant and owner of Lazy Cove Campground, Regina Turner, discriminated against two families by evicting them upon learning that one of the campers was Black. After failing to comply with multiple court orders and refusing to pay the damages, the Office of the Attorney General initiated special auction proceedings for Ms. Turner's properties in order to obtain the funding for the court-ordered damages. On August 12, 2026, Regina Turner was also ordered to serve 30 days in jail at a contempt hearing where she was escorted out of the courthouse in handcuffs for failing to comply with the orders.
"Every Virginian deserves access to safe and affordable housing, and they deserve to be treated fairly and with dignity. This case and the egregious discriminatory actions endured by the Mills and Smith families are heart wrenching and unacceptable," said Attorney General Jones. "I am proud to bring much overdue and deserved relief, and I want to thank the public servants in both the Virginia Fair Housing Office and the Office of the Attorney General whose dedication and tenacity brought this precedent-setting conclusion into reality after six arduous years."
"These successful outcomes underscore the Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation's commitment to enforcing fair housing protections and holding accountable those who engage in housing discrimination in Virginia," said Liz Hayes, Director of the Virginia Fair Housing Office. "Most importantly, these cases demonstrate that individuals who experience discrimination can seek justice and meaningful remedies. The substantial awards secured for these families make clear that housing discrimination has serious consequences and that every Virginian deserves a fair and equal opportunity to access housing."
The 18-acres of waterfront on a peninsula in Smith Mountain Lake, which was foreclosed on to collect on the jury's verdict, was sold for $1,045,000.00. Each family received $417,287.67, which is the full amount, with interest, that a jury awarded them at the end of the trial.
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Original text here: https://www.oag.state.va.us/media-center/news-releases/3111-attorney-general-jones-awards-more-than-800-000-for-families-following-historic-victory-in-fair-housing-case
Okla. A.G. Drummond Lauds Court's Decision to Return Inola Smelter Case to State Court
OKLAHOMA CITY, Oklahoma, Sept. 4 -- Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond issued the following news release on Sept. 3, 2026:
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Drummond lauds court's decision to return Inola smelter case to state court
Attorney General Gentner Drummond lauded a federal court's decision today to send his lawsuit over the proposed Inola aluminum smelter back to Rogers County District Court.
The U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Oklahoma ordered the case back to state court, noting that the defendants failed to establish substantial federal question jurisdiction. The federal court's order
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OKLAHOMA CITY, Oklahoma, Sept. 4 -- Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond issued the following news release on Sept. 3, 2026:
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Drummond lauds court's decision to return Inola smelter case to state court
Attorney General Gentner Drummond lauded a federal court's decision today to send his lawsuit over the proposed Inola aluminum smelter back to Rogers County District Court.
The U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Oklahoma ordered the case back to state court, noting that the defendants failed to establish substantial federal question jurisdiction. The federal court's orderis final and cannot be appealed. Drummond filed a motion to remand last month.
"This case belongs in Oklahoma state court under Oklahoma law," Drummond said. "I will continue to fight for the people of Inola and for what is in the best interests of all Oklahomans."
Drummond initially filed a petition in June to stop development of Oklahoma Primary Aluminum, a massive proposed smelter near Inola. Drummond's lawsuit seeks to protect the health of area residents, livestock and natural resources from the threatened public nuisance posed by the project.
Read the order (https://oklahoma.gov/content/dam/ok/en/oag/news-documents/2026/september/Smelter%20Remand%20Order.pdf).
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Original text here: https://oklahoma.gov/oag/news/newsroom/2026/september/drummond-lauds-courts-decision-to-return-inola-smelter-case-to-state-court.html
Attorney General Schwalb Releases 2026 Labor Day Report
WASHINGTON, Sept. 4 (TNSrep) -- District of Columbia Attorney General Brian L. Schwalb issued the following news release:
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Attorney General Schwalb Releases 2026 Labor Day Report
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Attorney General Brian L. Schwalb today released the Office of the Attorney General's (OAG) 2026 Labor Day Report, highlighting how over the last year OAG has fought for workers, enforced the District's labor laws, and worked to ensure that all District businesses compete on a level playing field.
Since Labor Day 2025, OAG has secured over $7.8 million through workers' rights enforcement actions across industries.
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, Sept. 4 (TNSrep) -- District of Columbia Attorney General Brian L. Schwalb issued the following news release:
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Attorney General Schwalb Releases 2026 Labor Day Report
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Attorney General Brian L. Schwalb today released the Office of the Attorney General's (OAG) 2026 Labor Day Report, highlighting how over the last year OAG has fought for workers, enforced the District's labor laws, and worked to ensure that all District businesses compete on a level playing field.
Since Labor Day 2025, OAG has secured over $7.8 million through workers' rights enforcement actions across industries.Since Attorney General Schwalb took office, OAG has secured over $28.5 million for thousands of workers who were taken advantage of and in penalties against companies that violated DC's labor laws.
"Workers are the backbone of our local economy. My office will always have their backs and fight to get them the pay and benefits they have earned while leveling the playing field for businesses across the District," said Attorney General Schwalb. "DC has some of the strongest labor protections in the country, but these laws don't enforce themselves. I'm exceptionally proud of the work that our Workers' Rights Section has done - securing record levels of relief for thousands of workers and making sure that all companies play by the rules."
Highlights include:
* $1.7 million from Welch Mechanical Contractors and $1.5 million from Brothers Mechanical, construction companies that have worked on high-profile development projects across DC, for illegally misclassifying hundreds of workers as independent contractors to avoid giving them the pay and benefits they had earned and were legally entitled to.
* $243,000 from The Park at 14th, a DC restaurant and nightclub, for failing to give workers paid sick leave, illegally misclassifying employees as independent contractors, and retaliating against workers who spoke up about the conditions.
* 3,486 District workers who received relief, including back pay and critical benefits, through OAG's worker rights enforcement actions over the past year.
The full report is available here (https://oag.dc.gov/sites/default/files/2026-09/OAG%202026%20Labor%20Day%20Report.pdf).
OAG employs a talented and dedicated team of attorneys, investigators, paralegals, and staff assistants in our Workers' Rights and Antifraud Section. This team includes Assistant Attorneys General Norman Anderson, Eric Anthony, Hannah Cole-Chu, Beth Feldstein, Molly Keck, Kara Mahoney, Jude Nwaokobia, Cara Reichard, Tascha Shahriari-Parsa, and Charlie Sinks; Investigators Kenithia Alston and Na'eelah Bakari; Paralegal Diego Pereira; Staff Assistant Mina Kasama; Assistant Section Chief Dennis Corkery; and Section Chief Graham Lake. OAG also thanks Intern Xiaoduo Chen for help in preparing this report.
How to Report Wage and Hour Violations
OAG's Workers' Rights and Antifraud Section is dedicated to fighting wage theft and protecting District workers. Workers who believe that their rights have been violated, or that they have experienced wage theft or other wage and hour violations, can contact OAG by calling (202) 724-7730 or emailing workers@dc.gov or trabajadores@dc.gov.
OAG's wage theft enforcement efforts have focused on industries with high populations of vulnerable workers, such as construction, restaurants and hospitality, healthcare, and the gig economy.
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Original text here: https://oag.dc.gov/release/attorney-general-schwalb-releases-2026-labor-day
Attorney General Bonta Secures Extended Block on Trump Administration's Attempt to Restrict Mail Voting
SACRAMENTO, California, Sept. 4 -- California Attorney General Rob Bonta issued the following news release:
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Attorney General Bonta Secures Extended Block on Trump Administration's Attempt to Restrict Mail Voting
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OAKLAND -Co-leading a coalition of 24 attorneys general and the Governor of Pennsylvania, California Attorney General Rob Bonta today issued a statement in response to the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts granting the coalition's request for a preliminary injunction, which ensures that key provisions of the U.S. Postal Service's (USPS) drastic, unprecedented,
... Show Full Article
SACRAMENTO, California, Sept. 4 -- California Attorney General Rob Bonta issued the following news release:
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Attorney General Bonta Secures Extended Block on Trump Administration's Attempt to Restrict Mail Voting
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OAKLAND -Co-leading a coalition of 24 attorneys general and the Governor of Pennsylvania, California Attorney General Rob Bonta today issued a statement in response to the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts granting the coalition's request for a preliminary injunction, which ensures that key provisions of the U.S. Postal Service's (USPS) drastic, unprecedented,and unlawful changes to mail voting remain blocked through the November elections. Oral argument on the coalition's request for a preliminary injunction was held on September 3. The court had previously issued a temporary restraining order on August 27 that blocked the changes for 14 days.
"We've now secured longer-term relief that will keep the USPS changes blocked while our case moves forward," said Attorney General Bonta. "We will continue to take all steps to stop the Trump Administration from trampling on voting rights and restricting mail voting."
The USPS changes at issue, which were mandated by President Trump's second elections-related Executive Order, would require state and local election officials to redesign and reprint ballot envelopes, enroll millions of voters in a new and untested USPS system, and meet burdensome requirements that would allow USPS to refuse to deliver mail ballots that do not comply. In a recent court filing, USPS admitted that the technology to implement the rule is not even available. And a recent whistleblower report also warned of "potentially catastrophic problems" and characterized the Trump Administration's efforts as "sloppy and rushed." In response, the coalition filed the whistleblower report with the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts and cited it in its opposition brief to the government's request to stay the case before the First Circuit.
Attorney General Bonta, Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell, Nevada Attorney General Aaron Ford, and Washington Attorney General Nick Brown co-led the coalition in filing a lawsuit over the USPS changes on August 26. They were joined by the attorneys general of Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Hawai`i, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, and Wisconsin, as well as the Governor of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
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Original text here: https://oag.ca.gov/news/press-releases/attorney-general-bonta-secures-extended-block-trump-administration%E2%80%99s-attempt
Ariz. A.G. Mayes Announces Nearly 97% Success Rate Defending Criminal Convictions on Appeal
PHOENIX, Arizona, Sept. 4 -- Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes issued the following news release on Sept. 3, 2026:
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Attorney General Mayes Announces Nearly 97% Success Rate Defending Criminal Convictions on Appeal
Attorney General Kris Mayes announced today that her Office's Criminal Appeals Section successfully defended the overwhelming majority of criminal convictions challenged on appeal or in federal habeas proceedings over the last two fiscal years, maintaining a 96.5% success rate.
"Among the most important work of the Attorney General's Office is defending convictions obtained
... Show Full Article
PHOENIX, Arizona, Sept. 4 -- Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes issued the following news release on Sept. 3, 2026:
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Attorney General Mayes Announces Nearly 97% Success Rate Defending Criminal Convictions on Appeal
Attorney General Kris Mayes announced today that her Office's Criminal Appeals Section successfully defended the overwhelming majority of criminal convictions challenged on appeal or in federal habeas proceedings over the last two fiscal years, maintaining a 96.5% success rate.
"Among the most important work of the Attorney General's Office is defending convictions obtainedby prosecutors around our state on appeal - including for crimes like homicide and rape," said Attorney General Mayes. "I am proud that my office has successfully defended those convictions in nearly every case and kept violent offenders behind bars."
Over the last two fiscal years, the Attorney General's Criminal Appeals Section defended 687 cases involving 2,287 individual convictions, including 197 homicide convictions and 697 sex crime convictions. Of those convictions, the Office successfully defended 2,207 -- a success rate of 96.5%.
The convictions defended span a wide range of offenses, including homicide, sex crimes, crimes against persons such as assault, kidnapping, and robbery, property crimes, fraud, drug offenses, and other criminal offenses.
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Original text here: https://www.azag.gov/press-release/attorney-general-mayes-announces-nearly-97-success-rate-defending-criminal
ATTORNEY GENERAL RAOUL HIGHLIGHTS HIS OFFICE'S EFFORTS TO PROTECT WORKERS IN ANNUAL LABOR DAY REPORT
CHICAGO, Illinois, Sept. 4 -- Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul issued the following news release:
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ATTORNEY GENERAL RAOUL HIGHLIGHTS HIS OFFICE'S EFFORTS TO PROTECT WORKERS IN ANNUAL LABOR DAY REPORT
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Chicago - Heading into Labor Day weekend, Attorney General Kwame Raoul highlighted a report detailing actions his office has taken during the past year to advocate for and protect Illinois workers.
The Attorney General's Workplace Rights Bureau was codified in state statute in 2020 and has since launched more than 115 investigations, resulting in the recovery of more than $30 million
... Show Full Article
CHICAGO, Illinois, Sept. 4 -- Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul issued the following news release:
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ATTORNEY GENERAL RAOUL HIGHLIGHTS HIS OFFICE'S EFFORTS TO PROTECT WORKERS IN ANNUAL LABOR DAY REPORT
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Chicago - Heading into Labor Day weekend, Attorney General Kwame Raoul highlighted a report detailing actions his office has taken during the past year to advocate for and protect Illinois workers.
The Attorney General's Workplace Rights Bureau was codified in state statute in 2020 and has since launched more than 115 investigations, resulting in the recovery of more than $30 millionin owed wages and restitution for workers and penalties on cases involving wage theft, misclassification, child labor, discrimination, and other violations of Illinois employment laws.
"The dedicated attorneys and staff of my office's Workplace Rights Bureau work every day to uphold and defend Illinois laws, resolve serious and persistent violations of workers' rights, and ensure that law-abiding businesses are not undercut by those that violate the law to gain unfair advantages," Raoul said. "I am committed to continuing to fight for workers' rights, and I encourage anyone with questions or concerns about their workplace to reach out to my office's Workplace Rights Bureau. Our bilingual attorneys and staff are happy to speak to workers about their concerns and provide information and resources to make sure that workers know their rights."
The Workplace Rights Bureau advances the employment rights of all Illinois residents by taking actions, such as investigating labor law violations, collecting owed wages and civil penalties, filing lawsuits to protect Illinois workers, and advocating for stronger legal protections for workers.
This year, Raoul's office led the effort to pass a law that will help ensure the Workplace Rights Bureau has the necessary tools to defend workers' rights and a level playing field for law-abiding businesses. The new statute, which was signed into law in August, clarifies the bureau's jurisdiction, streamlines the subpoena processes to prevent delay tactics and expensive court battles, and grants the bureau investigative tools already in use by other agencies that enforce labor laws.
Raoul's office also works to protect the temporary labor market from anticompetitive schemes. In May 2026, Raoul's Antitrust Bureau and Workplace Rights Bureau announced the last of seven settlements fully resolving a lawsuit against Vee Pak LLC, doing business as Voyant Beauty, and six temporary staffing agencies for engaging in unlawful no-poach agreements. Through this lawsuit filed in 2022, Raoul has secured over $2.5 million in settlements from all defendants and robust injunctive relief to ensure temporary workers are not prevented from seeking or obtaining new job opportunities.
The lawsuit alleged that Vee Pak facilitated an unlawful no-poach conspiracy by the temporary staffing agencies not to recruit, solicit, or hire temporary employees from one another at the Vee Pak worksite in violation of the Illinois Antitrust Act. Under the most recent settlement, Vee Pak has agreed to pay $625,000, which will primarily be used to compensate temporary workers impacted by the no-poach agreement, and change its practices to prevent future violations.
The Workplace Rights Bureau ensures that all employers, regardless of whether they are traditional or gig employers, adhere to the employment laws that govern their operations. In the last year, Raoul has secured settlements from gig staffing agencies that violated Illinois employment laws, underpaid workers and unfairly undercut competitors.
Raoul's Workplace Rights Bureau also holds employers liable for violating the Illinois Child Labor Law of 2024 that protects children aged 15 and younger from dangerous and exploitative employment conditions. Following a 2025 settlement against Hearthside Food Solutions, LLC for $4.5 million in child labor penalties, Raoul is encouraging any employee who was a minor when they worked at Hearthside Food Solutions in Illinois to review the eligibility requirements and file their claims online with the settlement administrator, Atticus Administration, at hearthsidefssettlement.com.
Attorney General Raoul's 2026 Labor Day Report, which is also available in Spanish, highlights the Vee Pak settlement and child labor investigations, along with other recent settlements the office has obtained on behalf of Illinois workers and litigation the office has filed to enforce labor laws and recover wages for workers:
* In July 2026, Raoul announced a $95,000 settlement with a gig staffing agency, GigSmart, which followed a July 2025 settlement with a different gig staffing agency, Wonolo. The companies functioned as temporary staffing agencies but held themselves out as gig companies connecting workers with temporary work at their client companies via their apps. Both companies misclassified most or all of their temporary workers as independent contractors, and as a result, failed to properly pay them. The two settlements allowed more than 3,800 eligible workers to recover unpaid wages and ensured that future temporary workers for the companies will be classified as employees.
* In February 2026, Raoul settled claims that a medical staffing agency, Adelphi Staffing, violated the Illinois Freedom to Work Act when it required Illinois employees to sign non-solicitation agreements. Non-solicitation agreements, which restrict employees from soliciting co-workers or their employer's vendors or clients for employment or business, are prohibited by the Freedom to Work Act unless the employee earns more than $45,000 annually. The company agreed to remove the non-solicitation clause from the agreements.
* In August 2025, Raoul filed a lawsuit against Keystrokes Transcription Service, Inc., Chartnet Technologies Inc., and their common owner for failing to pay hundreds of thousands of dollars in wages to its medical service transcriptionists. Raoul found that Keystrokes hired employees to remotely transcribe medical records and failed to pay their wages for years, while making false promises of pay to keep employees working.
* In November 2025, Raoul filed a lawsuit against a Chicago-based construction company, PMJ Enterprises Inc., alleging the company had misclassified its construction workers as independent contractors, made off-the-books wage payments and failed to pay hundreds of thousands of dollars in overtime wages. The suit seeks to recover all owed wages, statutory damages, interest and penalties, and injunctive relief.
Raoul works with attorneys general offices throughout the country to advocate for workers' rights and hold accountable those that undermine the law, including the federal government. Raoul frequently collaborates with other attorneys general to challenge actions by the Trump Administration that have threatened to roll back worker protections, dismantle worker protection institutions, and harm workers.
In June 2026, Raoul led a coalition of attorneys general in suing the Trump administration to stop an executive order that directs federal agencies to adopt new terms in their contracts prohibiting federal contractors from engaging in "racially discriminatory DEI activities." In their lawsuit, the coalition asserts that the attempt to purge diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility from federal contracting imposes confusing requirements on contractors, including requirements that may depart from antidiscrimination policies contractors have already followed for decades. The terms impose needless costs and threaten to chill lawful efforts to prevent, detect, and remedy unlawful discrimination.
Raoul's Workplace Rights Bureau also comments on proposed regulatory changes, often in collaboration with other state attorneys general. In the past year, Raoul has submitted comment letters opposing a rule proposed by the U.S. Department of Labor to weaken the test used to determine whether a worker is an employee or an independent contractor, a rule proposed by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security that would economically devastate asylum seekers by essentially preventing them from obtaining legal employment, a rule proposed by the U.S. Department of Labor that would weaken protections for agricultural workers, and a rule proposed by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration that would sharply limit employers' liability for hazards in inherently risky professions, leaving many workers in these industries without critical federal safety protections.
Attorney General Raoul encourages workers who wish to file a complaint about an employer's potentially unlawful practices to call the Workplace Rights Hotline at 1-844-740-5076 or visit the Attorney General's website.
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Original text here: https://www.illinoisattorneygeneral.gov/news/story/attorney-general-raoul-highlights-his-offices-efforts-to-protect-workers-in-annual-labor-day-report9.4.26
