Wage theft is the illegal underpayment or nonpayment of a worker’s wages. Wage theft happens in a variety of ways.

Wage theft occurs when unethical employers break either federal or state laws by:

• Not paying the minimum wage

• Not paying the overtime premium for hours worked over 40

• Stealing workers’ tips

• Not paying for all hours worked

• Calling workers independent contractors when they are really employees, thereby not paying the employer side of payroll taxes, workers compensation insurance, unemployment insurance and overtime

• Taking illegal deductions from workers’ pay

• Giving workers paychecks that bounce