A study released by the Center for Labor & Community Research found that day laborers in two of Chicago's largest Hispanic neighborhoods are often victim to exploitative employment agencies. Laborers report being paid regular wages for overtime hours and being forced to cover the cost of transportation and safety equipment. Researchers also found that about one-third of the agencies were the source of frequent complaints, while most agencies seemed to be operating within the boundaries of the law.
See "Latino day labor often exploited, study reports", Patrick Rucker, Chicago Tribune, March 15, 2005