U.S. Department of Labor Announces Record $304 Million in Recovered Wages for Workers in Fiscal Year 2018

WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced that the Wage and Hour Division (WHD) recovered a record $304 million in wages owed to workers in Fiscal Year 2018. WHD also set a new record for compliance assistance events in FY 2018, holding 3,643 educational outreach events – including on the ground presentations and trainings – to help job creators understand their responsibilities under the law.

“Through vigorous enforcement and compliance assistance, the Department of Labor is committed to ensuring that workers receive the wages they have earned,” said U.S. Secretary of Labor Alexander Acosta. “These record-breaking numbers confirm the Department’s strong commitment to enforcing the law and providing employers with the tools they need to comply with the law.”

WHD today also announced a six-month extension of the voluntary Payroll Audit Independent Determination (PAID) program.  PAID is a compliance initiative that helps workers receive more back wages due in an expedited manner – without having to wait for lengthy investigations to conclude and court cases to resolve.

WHD encourages employers to audit their pay practices and consider participating.  More information about the program is available at www.dol.gov/whd/PAID.