Wage Theft » Georgia

Unpaid Wage Cases in Georgia

Since 2005 the U.S. Department of Labor has found $126.2M in back wages owed to 143,311 Georgia workers, in 6,471 cases, and assessed $15.8M in penalties. 484 cases involved child labor violations covering 2,123 minors.

$126.2MBack wages employers agreed to pay
143,311Workers owed back wages
6,471Cases with back wages

What workers weren't paid

Overtime not paid$66.3M (52%)
Prevailing wage on government contracts$29.6M (23%)
Below minimum wage$16.3M (13%)
Other laws (farmworker, visa, leave and more)$14M (11%)

Industries with the most back wages

Full-Service Restaurants$12.6M (10%)
Commercial and Institutional Building Construction$4.6M (4%)
Home Health Care Services$4.2M (3%)
Limited-Service Restaurants$3.8M (3%)
Hotels (except Casino Hotels) and Motels$3.1M (2%)
Custom Computer Programming Services$2.9M (2%)
Plumbing, Heating, and Air-Conditioning Contractors$2.9M (2%)
Industrial Building Construction$2.7M (2%)
Private Mail Centers$2.4M (2%)
All Other Specialty Trade Contractors$2M (2%)

Cases with back wages by year

0200400600430200536620063912007377200825520093162010316201138320124992013383201437420153132016358201730120182652019228202023820211372022962023862024602025182026

By city

CityBack wagesWorkersCases
Atlanta$27.6M 29,612897
Alpharetta$4.6M 5,512157
Marietta$3.9M 3,173175
Lawrenceville$3.9M 2,391114
Norcross$3.8M 3,242152
Savannah$3.7M 6,346386
Kennesaw$2.4M 2,10870
Macon$2.4M 2,881194
Suwanee$2.3M 1,48551
Augusta$2.2M 2,751208
Stone Mountain$1.9M 86742
Buford$1.8M 1,44478
Cumming$1.8M 1,62277
Columbus$1.7M 2,295106
Decatur$1.7M 2,49498
Warner Robins$1.6M 1,15480
Jonesboro$1.5M 71038
Athens$1.5M 1,68152
Gainesville$1.5M 2,12479
Tucker$1.5M 96050
Duluth$1.4M 1,76880
Glennville$1.3M 1,25818
Brunswick$1.1M 1,84087
Acworth$1.1M 50632
Hinesville$1.1M 1,47656
Smyrna$1M 1,19652
Valdosta$973K 1,51060
Roswell$955K 1,09865
Albany$951K 1,35880
Lithonia$942K 1,13357
Conley$942K 27610
Snellville$905K 52927
Mcdonough$900K 86844
Woodstock$900K 62148
Forest Park$834K 55833
Fayetteville$795K 72542
Moultrie$791K 1,12127
Mableton$735K 47724
Conyers$691K 90151
Forsyth$684K 90818
Fort Benning$655K 27920
Covington$646K 27334
Evans$641K 46737
Statesboro$636K 1,36657
Carrollton$597K 62832
Stockbridge$595K 64744
Thomasville$562K 59122
Lilburn$514K 70621
Douglasville$494K 44739
Byron$486K 31314
Vidalia$481K 1,01141
Calhoun$470K 30417
Tyrone$469K 20410
Dalton$451K 49736
Fort Stewart$442K 21520
Canton$442K 42835
Newnan$430K 34533
Blairsville$422K 38911
Lagrange$410K 81427
Monroe$406K 28613
Cedartown$403K 23818
Dahlonega$398K 19216
Riverdale$379K 51324
Bainbridge$372K 24218
Jackson$363K 35816
Tifton$352K 83139
Milledgeville$351K 40745
Cordele$348K 32020
Douglas$347K 40930
Morrow$342K 49423
Lake Park$326K 1,62222
Dallas$317K 15920
Helen$312K 15810
Dublin$308K 53138
Waycross$307K 88434
Loganville$305K 27323
Reidsville$303K 43313
Lithia Springs$303K 35519
Austell$296K 40033
Bogart$294K 1,46813
Baxley$286K 55226
Peachtree City$285K 35024
Pooler$283K 48431
Dawsonville$276K 13713
Rincon$255K 29014
Jasper$245K 20414
Thomson$245K 24017
Cartersville$228K 34830
Griffin$221K 23618
Peachtree Corners$215K 82716
Union City$209K 22623
Ellijay$209K 22117
Watkinsville$200K 56713
Hiram$197K 16813
Winder$176K 15914
Ellenwood$176K 9813
Dacula$149K 22120
Kingsland$147K 21922
Locust Grove$145K 13116
Jesup$144K 23513
Flowery Branch$142K 13911
Americus$142K 16314
Martinez$141K 30318
Thomaston$137K 27310
Rome$127K 32821
Port Wentworth$126K 12411
Saint Simons Island$125K 29318
Richmond Hill$110K 20226
Villa Rica$108K 15810
Adel$98,760 15510
Sylvania$96,842 9714
Perry$94,871 7410
Powder Springs$94,309 13313
Claxton$90,227 14812
Tybee Island$84,737 17413
Metter$78,457 13510
Hephzibah$77,481 6010
Saint Marys$66,893 11714
Hampton$63,923 8311
Fitzgerald$63,802 23715
Grovetown$51,609 6813
Greensboro$49,031 8010
Fairburn$42,975 10012
Cairo$31,661 5211

Cities with at least 10 cases with back wages.

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Source: the U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division enforcement data (every concluded compliance action since fiscal year 2005), from the DOL Open Data Portal, loaded November 9, 2026. “Back wages” is the amount employers agreed to pay workers after an investigation found they were underpaid; dates are the end of the period the investigation covered. Employer names and addresses are as DOL publishes them. Federal cases only: state labor departments and private lawsuits recover more that isn't counted here.

Lawbamba is not affiliated with the Department of Labor, and this page is general information, not legal advice.