Denver Voters to Decide on Empowering City Auditor for Wage Theft Enforcement
Denver voters are considering Referred Question 2H, a ballot measure that would permanently grant the city auditor's office the authority to enforce wage theft laws by amending the city charter. This would formalize and make perpetual powers the office has…
Denver, CO, November 3, 2026 —
Denver residents will soon have the opportunity to vote on Referred Question 2H, a ballot measure aimed at permanently empowering the city auditor’s office with the authority to enforce wage theft laws. If approved, the measure would amend the city charter.
The proposed charter amendment seeks to formalize and make perpetual the powers that the Denver City Auditor’s office has exercised in recent years concerning wage theft. These powers include the authority to subpoena companies as part of investigations into potential violations of wage laws.
Wage theft occurs when employers fail to pay their employees wages that are legally owed. This can include not paying minimum wage, overtime, or tips, or making illegal deductions from paychecks. The existing powers of the auditor’s office, which this ballot measure seeks to solidify, have allowed for proactive investigation and enforcement.
By enshrining these enforcement capabilities into the city charter, Referred Question 2H would provide a lasting framework for the auditor’s office to address wage theft, ensuring continuity in its efforts to protect workers’ rights regardless of administrative changes or political shifts. The ability to subpoena companies is a key investigative tool, allowing the auditor’s office to compel the production of relevant records and information necessary to determine if wage theft has occurred.
The outcome of the vote on Referred Question 2H will determine whether these enforcement powers become a permanent fixture of the city’s governance, strengthening the city’s mechanisms for ensuring fair labor practices and accountability for employers.
Story summarized from the original created by Paolo Zialcita on denverite.com, see more information here.
