Would you shop at a store here in Princeton if you knew its employees were cheated out of overtime pay? Would you eat at a restaurant if you were aware that its owner had been accused of sexually harassing servers? Would you bank with an institution that has a history of discriminating against disabled workers?

The U.S. Department of Labor hopes that consumers would decide not to patronize businesses that fail to comply with labor laws. To that end, the department has recently announced the Fair Labor Data Challenge, a contest aimed at helping the public easily access data regarding employment law violations.

The Department of Labor is calling on tech-savvy members of the public to enter a smartphone application contest. The department is looking for a smartphone app that utilizes publicly-available employment law data, social media and consumer ratings websites, among other tools, in order to help consumers, companies and job-seekers learn how businesses treat workers.

The department hopes that such an app will empower consumers in making decisions about where to spend their money. Additionally, the app might give job-seekers a heads-up and help companies make informed decisions about business partnerships.

New Jersey residents who are interested in entering this contest may find more information on the Department of Labor’s website.

This smartphone app would not be the first one backed by the Department of Labor. Back in 2011, the agency launched an app that allowed employees to track their own hours in order to determine whether their employers are paying them properly.

The Fair Labor Data Challenge coincides with the 75th anniversary of the Fair Labor Standards Act, the federal law which established minimum wage, overtime, child labor standards and record-keeping requirements.

Source: NJ.com, “Targeting Bad Employers: There May Be an App for That,” Donald Scarini, Aug. 8, 2013

Source: U.S. Department of Labor, “US Department of Labor launches smartphone app contest,” July 9, 2013