The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) has announced that $11 million in unclaimed back wages is available for more than 15,000 Texans, with over 800 individuals in the Austin metro area owed money. The DOL has launched an online tool called “Workers Owed Wages” (WOW) to help workers track down unclaimed wages.
The issue stems from cases where workers are unaware they are owed back wages, often because they have moved or changed employers since the original dispute. In some cases, businesses have settled with the DOL, but former employees cannot be located.
Texas ranks first in the number of workers owed money, with nearly $580,000 in the Austin area alone. The average payout per person in Texas is around $1,000, with notable amounts owed to workers from businesses like Mr. Taco in Lockhart and Dairy Queen in New Braunfels.
The process for claiming the back wages involves filling out a form, and it can take about six weeks for workers to receive their payment. If unclaimed after three years, the money will be transferred to the U.S. Treasury Department.
Lawmakers are being urged to use any unclaimed funds for job training and community programs rather than for unrelated project
