How to report wage theft in Pennsylvania
The exact agency, deadline, and paperwork to recover unpaid wages in Pennsylvania, verified by hand.
Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry, Bureau of Labor Law Compliance
Deadline
Pennsylvania's Wage Payment and Collection Law bars any administrative or legal action to collect unpaid wages more than 3 years after the day they were due and payable (43 P.S. section 260.9a(g)). That clock runs from your regular payday, not from when you quit or were let go.
You complete the Bureau of Labor Law Compliance's online wage complaint form (it times out after 20 minutes, so have your details ready before you start), or mail, fax, or email a paper version instead. The Bureau investigates by contacting your employer directly and can pursue the wages on your behalf, including a 25 percent liquidated-damages penalty on top of what's owed if your employer doesn't pay within 30 days of your regular payday without a good-faith dispute. You can also skip the agency and sue directly under the same law, which lets you recover attorney's fees if you win.
Gather this first
- Pay stubs or records showing your regular payday and rate of pay
- Dates worked and the exact amount you believe you're owed
- Your employer's business name and address
- Any written notice your employer gave you about wages owed but not yet paid
File a wage payment and collection complaint or call 800-932-0665
Facts last verified against official sources: 2026-07-04
After you report
- Your report is logged and an investigator reviews it. They may contact you for more detail or reach out to your employer directly.
- There is no charge to file, and the agency can order the back wages you are owed paid without you going to court.
- You do not need a lawyer to start, and it is illegal for your employer to fire or punish you for filing in good faith.
Related guides
Back to federal options and other states
Not legal advice
GetSnitching explains programs and processes in plain English from official sources. Whistleblower and reporting decisions can carry real legal risk. For advice about your situation, talk to a licensed attorney. Many whistleblower attorneys offer free consultations.