It’s important for Texans to be aware of the $8 million in unclaimed back wages currently waiting to be claimed. This situation primarily affects about 12,000 workers in Texas who are unaware that they have money owed to them. These back wages accumulated from employers who were found underpaying employees following investigations by the U.S. Department of Labor.
Jesus Valdez, the Dallas District Director of the Department of Labor, highlighted the significance of this unclaimed money, averaging about $662 per worker. This situation is particularly notable in North Texas, where over $1.6 million is owed to 2,500 workers.
Employers typically send the owed wages directly to the employees, but when the workers can’t be located, the funds are deposited into an account held by the U.S. Department of Labor. Valdez emphasized the department’s efforts to locate these workers, but if the wages remain unclaimed for three years, the money is transferred to the U.S. Treasury Department.
The Department of Labor encourages anyone who has worked for an employer to check their database to see if they might be owed any wages. This applies to both current and former employees. The department’s investigations span various industries, focusing on areas like construction and food services, but all industries and salary ranges are covered.