The Arizona Attorney General's Office has a new unit that is focused on protecting workers.

Attorney General Kris Mayes made the announcement at the start of the Labor Day weekend as she accepted the Elected Leader of the Year award from the Arizona AFL-CIO.

 The new initiative will focus on protecting Arizona workers from exploitation and enforcing existing laws to promote fair competition in Arizona, according to a release.

“I firmly believe that every worker deserves competitive pay for their work, a safe workplace, and to be treated with decency and respect,” Mayes said.

“We all know the true strength of our state comes from classrooms, construction sites, shipping yards and everywhere hardworking Arizonans are moving our economy forward."

The new unit will focus on: 

• Combating deceptive practices like employer misclassification of employees as independent contractors. 
• Fighting illegal wage theft and the unfair withholding of tips intended for workers.
• Investigating and prosecuting tax and payroll fraud.
• Working with other agencies to protect workers’ right to a safe work environment. 
• Challenging “no-poach” or other agreements between employers that depress wages and limit employee mobility.