Employee guide
How do I report unpaid wages?
By Verity Workplace. Information for US workers. Sources checked .
Quick answer: Compare the hours you worked and the pay you expected with the pay you received. Keep pay stubs, schedules, time records and messages about the difference. The Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division has a complaint process for laws it enforces; state labor offices may have other wage processes. Check the agency directly for coverage and current filing instructions.
How do you start?
Start with one pay period. Write the dates, your expected rate, the hours worked, the gross pay shown on the stub, and the part you believe is missing. Net pay can differ because of deductions, so keep the full stub rather than only a bank deposit screenshot.
For example: “For the week beginning [date], I recorded [hours]. The pay stub shows [hours or amount]. I asked [person] about the difference on [date].” If the amount is an estimate, say so.
What should you document?
Keep an itemized comparison so each missing-pay concern can be checked separately.
- Employer name, work location and your job duties.
- Dates of the pay periods and when payment was expected.
- Your recorded hours and the rate you were told.
- Pay stubs, time sheets, schedules and relevant messages.
- The difference you believe remains unpaid, marked as an estimate if needed.
- Any request for correction and the answer you received.
Where can I find wage complaint information?
Use the Wage and Hour Division complaint page for federal wage and hour questions. Use the state labor office directory for state resources. Different kinds of missing pay can fall under different rules; neither a short paycheck nor a private Verity record establishes which law applies.
Verity does not contact those agencies for you. You can download your record and use the official process you choose. Check time limits directly rather than waiting for an employer reply.
What mistakes should you avoid?
A wage record should preserve the numbers instead of trying to settle the dispute in the first sentence.
- Mixing several pay periods into one unsupported total.
- Leaving out unpaid breaks or disputed time entries.
- Editing the original time record instead of preserving it.
- Assuming Verity guarantees recovery of wages.
Where Verity fits
Write your complaint in your own words, add the key details, then choose what happens next. Your original record stays private. Nothing is sent to your employer until you review the employer version and choose to send it. Employees can create, keep and download their record for free.
Verity is an independent record service, not a government agency, law firm or emergency service. It does not file for you, choose an agency, give legal advice or guarantee anonymity. You choose whether to share with your employer and whether to use your record elsewhere.
Official sources
These official US resources explain their own processes and coverage. Check current instructions directly. Saving a complaint with Verity does not pause outside deadlines.
Related guides
Continue with the part of the complaint process you need next.