Wage Theft
All workers in Pennsylvania have a right to be paid for their work, regardless of immigration status.
Wage theft is very common in Pennsylvania. Some employers pay workers less than minimum wage, some employers don’t pay workers for all of the hours they work, and some employers improperly take money out of workers’ pay. These things are all illegal. We provide workers with information about their rights in the workplace and help workers who are trying to get back money their employer owes them.
If you think that your employer is not paying you what you are owed or if you have questions about how you are being paid, please contact us. We’d be happy to talk with you about your concerns. All our services are free and confidential.
More Information
The minimum wage in Pennsylvania is $7.25 an hour. Most employees also have a right to overtime pay - one and a half times their hourly pay rate - for every hour they work over 40 hours in a week. Additionally, your employer should pay you on a regular schedule and include a pay stub detailing your pay rate and any deductions.
Wage theft is much more common in Pennsylvania than most realize. A 2016 report by Temple University’s Beasley School of Law found that in any given week, almost 400,000 Pennsylvanians experience some kind of minimum wage theft. Low wage, non-English speaking, and undocumented workers are targeted most frequently.
In fiscal year 2020, Justice at Work successfully helped our clients recover over $600,000 in unpaid wages and other damages. Fighting wage theft is a central component of our services. We also provide information to our clients and members of our community about their rights so that they can better stand up for themselves in the workplace.