Labor Commissioner Luke Farley Announces Record Recovery of $3.7 Million Of Unpaid Wages For North Carolina Workers
This week, Labor Commissioner Luke Farley announced that the North Carolina Department of Labor recovered a record-breaking $3.7 million in unpaid wages for workers in 89 of the state’s 100 counties during State Fiscal Year 2026.
The recoveries resulted from investigation by NCDOL’s Wage and Hour Bureau into thousands of complaints involving unpaid final paychecks, withheld commission, unauthorized deductions and other violations of N.C. Wage and Hour Act. Cases spanned construction, manufacturing, hospitality, retail, health care, transportation and agriculture, underscoring the broad reach of the bureau’s work.
“Today is a win for workers. It’s a win for the people who show up every day, put in the hours and do the job,” Farley said. “When a worker comes forward with a concern, they should know that the North Carolina Department of Labor is committed to helping them. Most businesses want to comply with the law, and our goal is always to work with them toward voluntary compliance.”
Cases spanned construction, manufacturing, hospitality, retail, health care, transportation and agriculture, underscoring the broad reach of the bureau’s work.
Workers who believe they have not received wages they are owed — including regular wages, final paychecks; commissions, bonuses or vacation pay promised in writing; or money lost through unauthorized deductions — are encouraged to submit a complaint to NCDOL.
State law prohibits retaliation against employees who, in good faith, file or threaten to file a wage-and-hour complaint or exercise other protected rights.
To learn more or to file a wage complaint, visit the NCDOL website or call 1-800-NC-LABOR (1-800-625-2267).
