I'm looking for people that have actually made a claim for unpaid wages with the Department of Labor.
My story is long, so I will just stick to the main points:
- I never got a consistent paycheck on-time (employed August 2022-January 2023)
- Pay was only direct-deposited once. Otherwise, it would come as a wire transfer, paypal, or cashapp. I would have to eat the fee if I wanted my money instantly.
- The company went under and I was laid off with no warning the first week of January.
- At mid-January, the peak of owed wages was over $8,000 (just take-home pay)
- I immediately filed a claim with the Department of Labor
- Months go by where I called in every so often, and I eventually got a letter that stated I would be contacted for a hearing between myself and former employer. I will need to submit documents and can choose to have a lawyer present for said hearing.
- Today, I am still owed over $5,000 in just wages
My questions:
1. How long does it usually take to actually get a date for this hearing?
This is getting ridiculous- “It's my money and I want it now!”
2. Would you recommend getting a lawyer? Or are the facts straight-forward enough in my case? (The unpaid wages are super clear)
3. Can I add on all the late fees I've incurred due to non-payment? Is this the part where I would need a lawyer to add on fees/interest/pain&suffering?
I'm open to adding more information. The last time my former employer contacted me was on March 31, 2023 and he has since blocked my number. I have to get my car fixed and want to move, the $5k+ I'm owed would be nice to have.
I wish I could just sue him to speed up the process, but I need to let things play out with the DoL first.