A nonprofit publication of the Kentucky Center for Public Service Journalism

Labor Cabinet returns More than $1.1 Million in unpaid wages to Kentucky workers in October


Labor Cabinet Secretary David A. Dickerson announced today that the Division of Wages and Hours collected$1,103,213.57 in restitution during the month of October.

The restitution was collected from 224 companies who had not paid employees in the Commonwealth.

“The number one rule of business is to pay your people,” Secretary Dickerson said. “If you can’t do that, we will make sure you do. These employees have a right to their livelihood.”

The restitution will pay back missed wages for 285 employees across Kentucky.

The largest groups of unpaid wages stems from a company that miscalculated more than $400,000 in overtime wages, a hospital system that missed three payroll cycles for their employees, and a coal company that had not paid employees two payroll cycles, among other businesses.

When a company fails to pay employees, those employees are able to make a complaint to the Labor Cabinet. The Labor Cabinet begins an investigation and examines company payrolls. Cases are closed once restitution is paid.

“The Labor Cabinet staff continues working to make sure all employees across the Commonwealth get what is owed to them,” Dickerson said.

In addition to paying restitution, these companies will be fined for failing to pay employees. The October total does not include the restitution paid to Blackjewel, LLC coal miners who began to see checks in October after a July bankruptcy. 

Additional information is available here.

Kentucky Labor Cabinet


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