50 Billion a year stolen

Most states have fairly strong penalty-wage statutes. There are remedies - but it's hard to say why workers aren't getting that relief and why businesses aren't deterred from doing it.

I know that a chain of Mexican restaurants here recently went out of business after the owner was charged with a second-round of wage theft. A previous incident was the subject of a settlement but he was apparently up to it again and has been sentenced to jail time. The chain is closed.