I worked at a restaurant in a small town this year, after a vacation I returned to find the business closed and the owner was ghosting everyone. Not only was I owed my last check, but also some backpay from when I first started.
I filed a complaint with the dept of labor. They ruled in my favor, but only for the backpay. I'm appealing the decision amount, but I doubt I'll get a check through them regardless. It's not even a lot of money, but I depend on it and I shouldn't have to fight for my wages. And I'm not alone, several other employees are also unpaid and pissed.
The business is now back up and running, the new owner hired a lawyer and he slightly changed the business name to distance himself from the former owner. He was romantically involved with the former owner, and was the one who originally purchased the business, but they split up and she ran the place while I worked there; he was only a silent partner.
I would launch a smear campaign against the business, but it's a gray area- the new owner wasn't around when I was working, and technically he was also burned by the former owner. But if he took on the business he took on it's debts, right? I don't have much pity for the guy, but if he's not legally liable then I'd just be wasting my time.
Either way, I'd rather go directly after the former owner. She changed all of her social media and ran off to another state with her new boyfriend, but I'm hoping reddit has some creative ways to keep her on the hook.