Unpaid Wage Cases in Crystal Lake, Illinois
Since 2005 the U.S. Department of Labor has found $125K in back wages owed to 164 workers by Crystal Lake employers, in 23 cases. Unpaid overtime accounts for 81% of it. The industry with the most back wages is full-service restaurants.
What workers weren't paid
5 cases involved child labor violations, covering 11 minors.
Industries
Cases with back wages by year
Largest back-wage cases
Around The Clock Restaurant 5011 Northwest Highway
$18,528 in back wages to 3 workers
Full-Service Restaurants · period investigated Jun 2023–Jun 2025
4 Way Pallet Corp. 6704 Pingree Rd.
$18,215 in back wages to 5 workers
Wood Container and Pallet Manufacturing · period investigated Nov 2023–Nov 2025
Village Squire (C.L.) 4818 Northwest Hwy.
$16,713 in back wages to 11 workers · $2,244 in penalties
Full-Service Restaurants · period investigated Jul 2012–Jul 2014 · repeat violator: R
Comfort Inn 595 Tracy Trail
$14,364 in back wages to 6 workers
Hotels (except Casino Hotels) and Motels · period investigated Apr 2015–Apr 2017
F. Espinoza Landscaping 3902 E Crystal Lake Ave
$11,158 in back wages to 3 workers
Landscaping Services · period investigated Jul 2013–Sep 2014
Strelceck Chiropractic Clinic 10 North Virginia Street
$6,575 in back wages to 6 workers
Offices of Chiropractors · period investigated Nov 2011–Nov 2013
Firebar Grill 435 Angela Lane
$6,130 in back wages to 16 workers
Full-Service Restaurants · period investigated Aug 2023–Aug 2025
Arvidson Pools & Spas 3209 South Rte 31
$5,054 in back wages to 13 workers
All Other Specialty Trade Contractors · period investigated Jun 2019–Jun 2021
Knv Fire & Security 14 Erick St
$4,510 in back wages to 2 workers
All Other Specialty Trade Contractors · period investigated Sep 2019–Mar 2022
Jim M'Lady 5656 Northwest Hwy
$3,980 in back wages to 19 workers
Automobile Dealers · period investigated Sep 2005–Sep 2007
Most recent cases
4 Way Pallet Corp. period ending Nov 2025
$18,215 in back wages to 5 workers · Wood Container and Pallet Manufacturing
Firebar Grill period ending Aug 2025
$6,130 in back wages to 16 workers · Full-Service Restaurants
Around The Clock Restaurant period ending Jun 2025
$18,528 in back wages to 3 workers · Full-Service Restaurants
Bickford Home Care of Northwest Suburbs period ending Sep 2024
1 violation, no back wages · Home Health Care Services
Comfort Inn period ending May 2023
9 violations, no back wages · Hotels (except Casino Hotels) and Motels
Knv Fire & Security period ending Mar 2022
$4,510 in back wages to 2 workers · All Other Specialty Trade Contractors
Northern Illinois Foot &Ankle Specialists (N) period ending Aug 2021
$1,518 in back wages to 21 workers · Offices of Podiatrists
Arvidson Pools & Spas period ending Jun 2021
$5,054 in back wages to 13 workers · All Other Specialty Trade Contractors
BP Gas Station period ending Dec 2019
2 violations, no back wages · Gasoline Stations with Convenience Stores
Advanced Allergy and Asthma period ending Mar 2019
$3,636 in back wages to 13 workers · All Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
Exceed Floor & Home period ending Nov 2018
$46,706 in penalties · 1 child labor violation · Flooring Contractors
Pletz Enterprises, Inc period ending Dec 2017
$616 in back wages to 4 workers · Janitorial Services
Comfort Inn period ending Apr 2017
$14,364 in back wages to 6 workers · Hotels (except Casino Hotels) and Motels
Teddy's Liquor period ending Aug 2015
$135 in back wages to 1 worker · Beer, Wine, and Liquor Stores
Havoline Xpress Lube, Crystal Lake Store period ending Jul 2015
$360 in back wages to 3 workers · $421 in penalties · Automotive Oil Change and Lubrication Shops
Douglas Automotive period ending May 2015
$1,550 in penalties · 1 child labor violation · General Automotive Repair
McDonalds period ending Mar 2015
$860 in back wages to 4 workers · Limited-Service Restaurants
Cassidy Tire & Service (Crystal Lake) period ending Nov 2014
$2,815 in back wages to 9 workers · Other Automotive Mechanical and Electrical Repair and Maintenance
F. Espinoza Landscaping period ending Sep 2014
$11,158 in back wages to 3 workers · Landscaping Services
Crash 1 Collision Center period ending Jul 2014
$2,609 in back wages to 1 worker · Automotive Body, Paint, Interior, and Glass Repair
If you weren't paid what you're owed
Federal law requires at least the minimum wage and time-and-a-half for hours over 40 a week for most hourly workers, and many states set higher minimums. You can file a free, confidential complaint with the Wage and Hour Division or your state labor department, and you can also sue to recover unpaid wages, often with an equal amount in damages and your attorney fees. Deadlines are generally two to three years under federal law.
Labor and employment lawyers in Illinois
Lawbamba lists 20 labor and employment lawyers with an office in Illinois, the practice area that deals with the wage theft cases on this page. These 4 come first in that listing (how the order is set).
Matched by practice area and office location only. These lawyers are not connected to the records on this page and have not reviewed or endorsed it.
Owed wages by a Crystal Lake employer?
Compare employment lawyers in IllinoisOther Illinois cities
- Chicago
$41.8M · 34,621 workers - Springfield
$7M · 29,824 workers - Peoria
$4.2M · 4,900 workers - Naperville
$2.7M · 1,634 workers - Schaumburg
$2.5M · 2,500 workers - Elgin
$2.2M · 1,931 workers - Arlington Heights
$2.1M · 596 workers - Bensenville
$2M · 856 workers
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.