Unpaid Wage Cases in Iowa City, Iowa
Since 2005 the U.S. Department of Labor has found $750K in back wages owed to 1,291 workers by Iowa City employers, in 72 cases. Unpaid overtime accounts for 79% of it. The industry with the most back wages is telephone call centers.
What workers weren't paid
3 cases involved child labor violations, covering 4 minors.
Industries
Cases with back wages by year
Largest back-wage cases
TM1 Stop, LLC. 1925 Boyrum Street
$211K in back wages to 663 workers
Telephone Call Centers · period investigated Jul 2011–Jul 2013
University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics 200 Hawkins Drive
$95,352 in back wages to 90 workers
General Medical and Surgical Hospitals · period investigated May 2015–Apr 2017 · repeat violator: R
Los Portales 1402 S. Gilbert St.
$72,810 in back wages to 5 workers
Full-Service Restaurants · period investigated Mar 2013–Mar 2015
Get Fresh Cafe 109 Iowa Ave
$51,374 in back wages to 39 workers · $5,495 in penalties
Limited-Service Restaurants · period investigated Jul 2023–Jul 2025
Superior Care 2871 Heinz Road Suite A
$47,873 in back wages to 24 workers
Home Health Care Services · period investigated Jun 2021–May 2023
The Airliner Bar 22 S. Clinton St.
$27,260 in back wages to 93 workers
Full-Service Restaurants · period investigated Mar 2010–Mar 2012
Greenwood Manor 605 Greenwood Drive
$24,321 in back wages to 10 workers · $1,870 in penalties
Nursing Care Facilities · period investigated Aug 2005–Aug 2007 · repeat violator: R
C E C Communications Engineering 601 Hwy 6
$22,572 in back wages to 26 workers
All Other Telecommunications · period investigated Oct 2010–Jan 2013
Cactus Mexican Grill & Cantina 314 E. Burlington
$19,016 in back wages to 0 workers
Full-Service Restaurants · period investigated Aug 2014–Aug 2016 · repeat violator: R
Cactus Mexican Restaurant & Cantina 245 South Gilbert
$16,984 in back wages to 0 workers
Full-Service Restaurants · period investigated Aug 2014–Aug 2016
Most recent cases
Get Fresh Cafe period ending Jul 2025
$51,374 in back wages to 39 workers · $5,495 in penalties · Limited-Service Restaurants
Kirkwood School for Children period ending Mar 2025
$106 in back wages to 2 workers · Child Day Care Services
Vue Rooftop period ending Mar 2025
$86 in back wages to 1 worker · Full-Service Restaurants
Joseph's Steakhouse period ending Jan 2025
$299 in back wages to 1 worker · Full-Service Restaurants
Kids Depot of Iowa City period ending Jan 2025
$4,228 in back wages to 11 workers · Child Day Care Services
The Webster period ending Mar 2024
$25,656 in penalties · 2 child labor violations · Full-Service Restaurants
Wig and Pen Pizza Pub period ending Jun 2023
$3,931 in back wages to 1 worker · Full-Service Restaurants
Superior Care period ending May 2023
$47,873 in back wages to 24 workers · Home Health Care Services
Rent A Center period ending Mar 2021
1 violation, no back wages · Furniture Stores
ASI Rentals Property Management period ending Aug 2020
$86 in back wages to 1 worker · $683 in penalties · 1 child labor violation · Residential Property Managers
Acapulco Grocery/Bakery period ending May 2020
1 violation, no back wages · Supermarkets and Other Grocery (except Convenience) Stores
Goodwill of the Heartland period ending Nov 2019
$401 in back wages to 4 workers · Janitorial Services
Oryza Asian Cuisine period ending May 2019
$92 in back wages to 3 workers · Full-Service Restaurants
Iowa City Rehab & Health Care period ending Apr 2019
$7,023 in back wages to 25 workers · $10,250 in penalties · Nursing Care Facilities
Graduate Hotel Iowa City period ending Apr 2019
$3,250 in back wages to 2 workers · Hotels (except Casino Hotels) and Motels
Which Wich Superior Sandwich period ending Jun 2018
1 violation, no back wages · Limited-Service Restaurants
Calacci Construction Company period ending Jun 2018
$21 in back wages to 1 worker · New Single-Family Housing Construction (except Operative Builders)
Simpson Security Services period ending Mar 2018
1 violation, no back wages · Security Systems Services (except Locksmiths)
Spenler Tire Company period ending Sep 2017
$173 in back wages to 2 workers · Tire Dealers
Dodge Street Tire period ending Aug 2017
$8,543 in back wages to 5 workers · Tire Dealers
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 Iowa
Lawbamba lists 8 labor and employment lawyers with an office in Iowa, 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 Iowa City employer?
Compare employment lawyers in IowaOther Iowa cities
- Des Moines
$3.6M · 4,625 workers - West Des Moines
$2M · 1,993 workers - Cedar Rapids
$1.5M · 1,781 workers - Dubuque
$1.3M · 904 workers - Clive
$1.1M · 379 workers - Davenport
$1M · 1,605 workers - Sioux City
$885K · 959 workers - Urbandale
$865K · 748 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.