Thousands of workers in Illinois are owed back wages from the U.S. Department of Labor, with the government setting up a website to help disperse those funds.
According to WTTW Chicago, the department says it is holding more than $5 million in wages owed to more than 7,000 workers in a variety of fields, including agriculture, restaurants and the healthcare sector.
Several recent examples highlighted by the department include $111,000 in back wages to 46 security guards at Proviso Township High school, $3 million in back wages and damages to workers at an Elk Grove processing plant, and a Bloomingdale restaurant that was ordered to pay workers $110,000 in wages and damages.
To help determine whether the department is holding wages for workers, a website has been launched that aims to connect those workers with their pay. The process begins with a search of employer and state of employment, then asks for additional information and employment verification.
According to the Labor Department, unpaid wages can be held for up to three years before they are sent to the U.S. Treasury, so workers are urged to check their status in a timely manner.
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