Unpaid Wages, File with DOL Wage and Hour, No Retaliation
If your employer owes you wages, call 1-866-487-9243 to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD); you’ll be directed to the nearest WHD office. The Department of Labor says complaints are confidential, and the complainant’s name, the nature of the complaint and even whether a complaint exists may not be disclosed; an employer also cannot retaliate against a worker for exercising their rights.
The Department of Labor says all services are free and confidential, whether you are documented or not. If an investigation finds back wages are owed to employees, the investigator will request that the employer pay them. This article follows the Department of Labor’s complaint pages: how to file, what to have ready before you call, how confidential it is and how an investigation works.
How to file
The Department of Labor explains (DOL WHD how to file a complaint):
- By phone: 1-866-487-9243; you’ll be directed to the nearest WHD office for assistance.
- General questions: you can ask through the online contact form on the website; to file a complaint, call.
- Get your information ready: gather the information you’ll need before you file; the Department of Labor says the more information you provide, the better it can address the concerns you raise.
What to have ready before you call
The information the Department of Labor lists for a complaint (DOL WHD information you need to file a complaint):
- About you: your name, address and phone number (how you can be contacted).
- The company: the name of the company where you work or worked, its location (which may be different from where you worked) and its phone number.
- Manager: the manager’s or owner’s name (who to ask to speak to).
- Work and pay: the type of work you did, and how and when you were paid (for example, cash or check, every Friday).
- Helpful if you have it: copies of pay stubs, your own records of hours worked and other information about your employer’s pay practices; these help but aren’t required.
- Immigration status: all services are free and confidential, whether you are documented or not.
Confidentiality and no retaliation
- Confidential: complaints are confidential; the complainant’s name, the nature of the complaint and whether a complaint exists may not be disclosed.
- No retaliation: an employer cannot retaliate against a worker for exercising their rights, and cannot fire you or discriminate against you in any other way for filing a complaint with WHD.
How an investigation works
- Initial conference: the investigator meets with the employer and tours the workplace.
- Employee interviews: the investigator interviews employees in private.
- Records review: the investigator reviews the employer’s records to determine compliance.
- Final conference: a final meeting with the employer to discuss any violations and how to correct them.
- Back wages: if back wages are owed to employees, the investigator will request that the employer pay them.
For how the federal minimum wage and overtime work, see Federal Minimum Wage Is $7.25, Overtime After 40 Hours; for complaining about an unsafe workplace, see Unsafe at Work, File an OSHA Complaint, Anonymous Is Allowed.
What this article did not check
- State labor agencies: this article covers only the federal WHD and did not check state complaint options.
- Interpreters: these two pages don’t say, so this article doesn’t either.
- How to calculate unpaid wages: this article did not check.
Frequently asked questions
My boss owes me wages. What number do I call?
The Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division, 1-866-487-9243.
Will my boss find out I complained?
The Department of Labor says complaints are confidential, and the complainant’s name, the nature of the complaint and whether a complaint exists may not be disclosed.
Can my boss fire me for complaining?
No. The Department of Labor says your employer cannot fire you or discriminate against you in any other way for filing a complaint with WHD.
Can I file a complaint if I’m undocumented?
Yes. The Department of Labor says all services are free and confidential, whether you are documented or not.
What happens if they find I’m owed wages?
The investigator will request that the employer pay the back wages owed to employees.
Sources and dates checked
All checked on 2026-10-31.
- U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division, How to File a Complaint (no date on the page):https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/contact/complaints
- U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division, Information You Need to File a Complaint (no date on the page):https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/contact/complaints/information