Wage and Hour Division Data | U.S. Department of Labor

Our Mission is Clear

"To promote and achieve compliance with labor standards to protect and enhance the welfare of the nation’s workforce"

We’re here to help workers and employers, and we’re making progress toward our goals every day. Some examples...

RECORD BACK WAGES COLLECTED

322 million dollars in back wages collected

More than 1.3 Million workers helped by WHD in the last five years

More than 1.4 Billion dollars in back wages recovered by WHD in the last five years

Outreach and Education

WHD has long recognized that the vast majority of employers want to play by the rules. We proudly engage in a robust outreach and education program that continues to educate employers and workers alike to promote compliance.

WHD conducted more than 15,000 outreach events in the last five years

WHD continues to provide around the clock service to both employers and employees via the internet. In FY 2019, our website was viewed nearly 30 million times.

Outreach and Education
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In fiscal year 2019, WHD collected an average of $883,000 in back wages for workers per day. That’s enough to feed more than 900 families for a month. Click here for more statistics with low wage industries to view back wages collected for workers in low wage industries.	WHD investigations in fiscal year 2019 found, on average, $1,025 for each employee due back wages. For retail cashiers, that means more than three times what they would earn in a typical workweek. Imagine how challenging it would be if you weren’t compensated for three weeks of work. That’s the reality for many workers who don't get paid what they have earned.