The Knoxville independent. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1894-current, 1918-04-27
GUARD WORKERS
AGAINST FRAUDS
Illinois Laws Aimed at Fraudu-
lent Employment Agencies
Prove Satisfactory.
AMPLE PROTECTION GIVEN
All Complaints Made Are Immediately
Investigated by the Department Of
Labor, and Adjusted-FIsures Show.
IND Results of Work Done Last Year.

By reason of the new Illinois admin
iStrative code a certain measure Of
protection for workers against fraudu-
lent employment agencies Is establish
ed through a state agency, the depart
ment of labor. By this department
final adjustment of the last Of 500
complaints made from July / to De-
cember 81 last against private employ
ment agencies has been completed.
One of the points at which the de-
partment of labor protects the worker
is in the adjustment of complaints
| against licensed employment agencies.
These agencies cannot operate without
license signed by the director Of la
Dor, and any complaint against their
operation is Immediately taken up
through the division of chief inspector
of private employment agencies. He
investigates all complaints referred to
/ him, takes action where necessary to
compel refund of fees, return OF rail-
way fares or--where position has
| been Observation-Disclosures another
and suitable position to the satisfac-
ton of the applicant.
Figured in terms Of dollars and
cents, out of the 500 complaints made
against private employment agencies
during the first six months Of the OPP
Grafton of the civil administrative
| code. Four hundred and thirty COM
plants received full refunds amount
ing to $1,476S5. In four cases where
positions proved to be temporary In
stead of permanent, adjustments were
made on 10 per cent basis, such re-
funds amounting to $35. The total re-
funds on these 515 cases were
$1,6S191
Besides these cash refunds, sixty
compliments were placed in positions
satisfactory to them without further
charge of any kind.
Railroad fare amounting to $500
was refunded in one case to COM
plainant who paid no Office fee to the
agency with which he was dealing.
Only five complaints were found upon
investigation to be without merit,
though eighteen complaints have not
been followed up by the compliments,
who have not appeared to prosecute
or give supplementary information
necessary to enforce claim.
OF compliments who received re.
funds of office fees, "a also were re-
turned railroad fares amounting to
$780, so making total refund Of Of
fee fees and railroad fares Of 81, 808.5S
Besides the actual money refunded
to patrons of private employment
agencies, the enforcement of the Law
has helped to hold licensed agencies
in check wherever there has been Q
tendency to take advantage of the ig
1 norant or transient worker.
The worker who comes to any In
dustrial center In the state and makes
} application with a private employment
, agency for job is assured Of ade
quate protection, the department as
serts, particularly, If he takes care t.
post himself to some extent on the Law
and demand that his rights be fully Oh
served. In case he has any doubt al
to what his rights are or whether the!
have been infringed his remedy lie
with the department Of labor.
Used Funds For crippies.
New York.-Convicted on his owl
confession of using the mails to de
fraud In soliciting funds for cripples
George w. Rider, Secretary OF thu
Cripples' Welfare Society, was sen
fenced to three years Imprisonment
at Atlanta by Federal Judge Mack