How to report wage theft in Texas
The exact agency, deadline, and paperwork to recover unpaid wages in Texas, verified by hand.
Texas Workforce Commission, Wage and Hour Department
Deadline
TWC only accepts a wage claim within 180 days of the date the wages were originally due, counted from when TWC receives your claim, not when you mail it. If part of what you're owed falls outside the 180 days, you can still claim the part that falls inside it.
You file a Payday Law wage claim online or on the paper WH-1 form, then TWC sends your employer a copy and gives them 14 days to respond. TWC investigates both sides, mostly on paper, and issues a Preliminary Wage Determination Order that either party can appeal to a hearing. If TWC finds you're owed money and your employer still doesn't pay, TWC refers the debt to collections about a month later.
Gather this first
- A copy of your most recent pay stub or paycheck
- The exact dates you worked and were not paid
- How you calculated the amount owed
- Your employer's legal business name and address
- Willingness to sign your claim under penalty of perjury
File a wage claim under the Texas Payday Law or call 800-832-9243
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.