Wage and Hour Division (U.S. Department of Labor)

The Wage and Hour Division enforces the federal minimum wage, overtime pay, recordkeeping and child labor rules, and other federal laws, including the limits on wage garnishment and family and medical leave. You can call, or visit any Wage and Hour office, to ask about the law or to make a complaint. There is no charge, and complaints are confidential.

Call 1-866-487-9243 Visit their site ↗

Good to know

For pay, it enforces the federal minimum wage and overtime for employees the law covers; some workers are exempt from parts of it. For a garnishment, it enforces two federal rules against employers: the limit on how much of your pay can be taken, and the ban on firing you over a garnishment for one debt. Its Fact Sheet 30 says other garnishment questions, such as which order comes first, go to the court or agency that started the garnishment. The Department says it generally cannot help you recover vacation pay or other benefits, and that the federal law has no collection procedure for usual or promised pay above the minimum. State labor agencies enforce state labor laws, so ask your state labor department about those. The Division enforces the law without regard to immigration status. It can talk with callers in more than 200 languages. Callers who are deaf, hard of hearing or have a speech disability can dial 7-1-1.

Before you call

Have ready

the employer's name and the address where you worked; if you are not sure of the name, a photo of anything at the worksite with the company's name on it
your pay details: the date and amount of each payment, and a copy or photo of each check
your hours, if you kept a record: the time you started and finished each day, and any meal break
a phone number where the Division can reach you, or a friend's or relative's number if you have no permanent address

They can

answer questions about the federal laws it enforces, and take a complaint by phone or at any Wage and Hour office
look into whether your employer took more from your pay than the federal garnishment limit allows, or fired you over a garnishment for one debt
keep your complaint confidential: your name and the nature of the complaint are not disclosed, except with your permission or by court order
talk with callers in more than 200 languages

They cannot

generally recover vacation pay or other benefits, or collect usual or promised pay above the minimum wage: state labor agencies enforce state labor laws, so ask your state labor department
decide whether you owe a debt or which garnishment order comes first: Fact Sheet 30 sends those questions to the court or agency that started the garnishment
promise an investigation: the Division works with you to decide whether one is the best course of action
answer on its own staff lines outside Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. local time: the National Contact Center answers then

In the emergency guides: Money is being taken from my wages → · I haven't been paid my wages →

Phone: 1-866-487-9243
Website: https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/contact/complaints
Hours: Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. local time (hours vary by region). Nights, weekends and holidays: calls are answered by the Department of Labor National Contact Center.
Coverage: Nationwide (U.S.)
Languages: English, Spanish
Last checked: October 10, 2026

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