If any employee, because of his or her employer’s violation of the provisions of section two of this act, is discriminated against in the payment of wages, such employee may recover in a civil action the full amount of the salary or wages due from the employer plus an additional equal amount as liquidated damages, together with costs and such reasonable attorney’s fees as may be allowed by the court, and any agreement between such employee and employer to work for less than such salary or wages shall be no defense to the action. At the request of any employee paid less than the wage to which she may be entitled under this act, the commissioner may take an assignment of such wage claim in trust for the assigning employee and may bring any legal action necessary to collect such claim, including the liquidated damages provided by this section without cost to the employee. The court in such action shall, in addition to any judgment awarded to the plaintiff or plaintiffs, allow a reasonable attorney’s fee to be paid by the defendant, and costs of the action. The commissioner shall not be required to pay the filing fee, or other costs, in connection with such action. The commissioner shall have power to join various claimants against the employer in one cause of action.

L.1952, c. 9, p. 47, s. 8.