How do I report my employer for not paying me properly?
Published July 3, 2026
The short answer
You generally have options, and you don’t have to pick the biggest one first. Many workers start by raising it directly with their employer in writing; if that doesn’t resolve it, you can bring it to a government labor agency such as the U.S. Department of Labor or your state labor department, and some people also talk to a union or an employment lawyer.
Whichever route you take, the thing that helps most is arriving with an organized, dated record of what happened. So before or alongside reporting, get your record in order.
What you can do
- 1
Get your record together first
Dates, hours, pay stubs, messages, and a clear summary of what’s owed — as your own estimate.
- 2
Raise it with your employer in writing
Sometimes it’s a fixable error, and a written request creates a dated trail.
- 3
Contact a labor agency if needed
The U.S. Department of Labor (dol.gov) and your state labor department handle pay complaints and can explain your options and any time limits.
- 4
Consider a union or a lawyer
A union representative or an employment lawyer can advise on your specific situation.
- 5
Keep recording as you go
Keep your record updated through the process, including anything that feels like retaliation.
Where the exact rules matter: the specifics — figures, thresholds, deadlines, and which rules apply — vary by state and by your situation. Check them with the U.S. Department of Labor (dol.gov) or your state labor department rather than relying on a number from anywhere else.
In plain terms
- Labor department / labor agency
- The government body that handles wage complaints — federal (dol.gov) and at the state level.
- Wage claim
- A formal complaint that wages went unpaid.
- Retaliation
- When an employer punishes you for raising a complaint. It’s worth documenting if it happens; the protections available vary by law.
Where rippedoffworker comes in
The guide tells you what to do — the app does it with you.
rippedoffworker helps you log the hours, pay, and treatment as they happen and builds a dated record over time — so your own figures and the pattern behind it are organized in one place, ready to take to the people who can help.
rippedoffworker is a record-keeping tool, not a law firm, and does not give legal advice. Any amounts are arithmetic on the figures you entered — apparent, not a guaranteed or legally determined amount.