More than 5,200 employees may be eligible for payments – and all they have to do is ask
The U.S. Department of Labor is holding onto over $6.8 million in unpaid wages meant for more than 5,200 workers in Maryland. The money, collected from employers who failed to properly compensate their employees, is available to workers who claim it through the department’s Workers Owed Wages (WOW) database.
A Call for Action
In a recent statement, Nick Fiorello, the Baltimore District director of the Labor Department’s Wage and Hour Division, emphasized that the process is straightforward—workers just need to check the database to see if they are owed any of the funds. The department is holding this money as part of its effort to recoup wages owed to workers for unpaid hours, missed overtime, or work performed before or after shifts.
“We collect back wages for folks who didn’t get paid properly,” Fiorello explained. “Once we’ve collected wages from employers, we can only hold onto them for three years before they must be turned over to the Treasury, which is why we encourage workers to check the database regularly.”
This database serves as a resource for workers who might not know they’re owed money or who might feel too intimidated to file a claim on their own. The department is calling on Maryland workers to make a quick year-end check to see if any of the owed wages belong to them.
Who’s Affected?
The workers most often impacted by unpaid wages are those in lower-wage industries, particularly construction workers and those in the building services industry, such as custodians and security guards. These workers often face significant challenges when it comes to standing up for their rights. Many lack the financial resources to pay for legal help, while others may fear retaliation from their employers or worry about their immigration status.
Lucy Zhou, an attorney with the Public Justice Center in Baltimore, echoed these sentiments, explaining that many workers don’t speak up because they feel powerless to do so. The fear of losing their job, or worse, is enough to keep many from seeking justice for what they are owed.
“They don’t have the money to pay for lawyers, or they have substantially justified fears of retaliation if they were to speak up against their employers, or fears about immigration status,” Zhou said. “There are a whole myriad of reasons why a worker wouldn’t speak out about it.”
This reluctance to report wage theft contributes to an even larger issue. While the $6.8 million being held by the Department of Labor is significant, it may only represent a fraction of the wages that are actually owed to workers in Maryland. According to a 2016 report by the Center for Popular Democracy, up to 580,000 workers in the state could collectively be losing out on as much as $875 million annually due to wage theft.
What Can Workers Do?
Workers in Maryland who believe they are owed unpaid wages are encouraged to visit the WOW database to check if their name is on the list. The process is simple, and it could help thousands of workers reclaim money that’s rightfully theirs. While the Labor Department takes care of collecting and holding the funds, it’s ultimately up to workers to claim what they are owed before it’s too late.
Advocates argue that there needs to be a larger conversation around wage theft in Maryland. For many, the issue goes beyond a few dollars here and there. It’s about ensuring that workers are treated fairly and that employers are held accountable for violating labor laws.
“The wage theft problem is a huge issue,” Zhou said. “What’s being held by the department now is only a small fraction of what workers are truly owed.”
The Bigger Picture
Wage theft isn’t just a local issue. Across the United States, millions of workers are affected by similar problems, and the federal government has been slowly ramping up efforts to address the issue. However, many advocates say that more aggressive actions are needed to ensure that workers aren’t deprived of their hard-earned wages in the first place.
As Maryland workers prepare for the new year, they’re encouraged to take action and see if they are among those owed wages. It’s a simple step, but one that could bring significant financial relief to thousands of employees who may not even know they are entitled to these funds.
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