Last updated: Feb 20, 2025

Wage Theft - The #1 Property Crime in America

Department of Labor recovered $273 million in stolen wages from employers in 2024. Experts believe that's less than 1% of the actual amount stolen.

Key Takeaways: Less than 1% Recovery Rate, Criminals Get Off Free

Wage theft is the most common property crime in America. Studies approximate $50 billion is stolen from Americans workers every year.
In 2024, the Department of Labor reported recovering “more than $273 million in back wages and damages for nearly 152,000 workers nationwide.”
There are no criminal penalties for wage theft.

In December 2024 alone:

Disney agreed to a $233 million settlement in a class-action wage theft lawsuit filed by over 50,000 Disneyland workers. The lawsuit accused the company of failing to meet local minimum wage requirements.
Tyson Foods, along with eight other poultry processors, agreed to pay $180 million to settle wage theft violations. Tyson paid the lion’s share with $115.5 million.
Uber paid $ million in stolen tips to almost 10 thousand delivery workers.

Stiffer punishments, including prison time - There is currently no criminal punishment for wage theft. Instituting criminal punishment for corporate executives would surely deter such antisocial behavior.
Unionization Rights - Unions are the guardian of worker protections worldwide. Passing legislation that protects workers rights to unionize would also result in fewer wages stolen.

Sources:

dol.gov/agencies/whd/data
epi.org/publication/epidemic-wage-theft-costing-workers-hundreds/
theguardian.com/us-news/2023/jun/15/wage-theft-us-workers-employees
nypost.com/2024/12/16/business/disney-to-pay-233m-to-settle-wage-theft-suit-from-disneyland-workers/
reuters.com/legal/litigation/tyson-other-poultry-processors-pay-180-million-settle-workers-wage-claims-2024-12-24/
timesunion.com/state/article/online-alcohol-platform-pay-ny-delivery-workers-19986314.php