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Denver Labor helps 4,500 people recover more than $2M in restitution

THE AUDITOR’S OFFICE HAS RECOVERED OVER 2 MILLION DOLLARS.

the Auditor at your service

Timothy M. O’Brien, CPA, Auditor of Denver

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Once again, Denver Labor team has proved its commitment to the community we serve. My team concluded its reporting year by once again surpassing more than $2 million recovered for workers, which means helping a record 4,505 individuals receive the wages they were entitled to.

Total restitution for the 2024 reporting period was $2,070,153.02 – another record high amount. This marks three years in a row of record-breaking restitution and is a sign that the need for wage theft enforcement and education in Denver remains high. We helped about 1,000 more individual workers this year compared to 2023.

These outcomes compel us to continue our efforts for the thousands of individuals who still need our help. Whether an individual receives hundreds or thousands of dollars in restitution, that’s money that should have been in their pocket on payday to pay their bills and support their families.

Denver Labor helps 4,500 people recover more than $2M in restitution

My office recovers $500,000 for workers to start the year Auditor's Office Works for You

The Denver Labor yearly reporting period for wage theft and prevailing wage restitution runs from November 1 to October 31. During this period, we closed 753 cases with restitutions, 694 of which were specific to prevailing wage. This number represents over 167 more closed cases than the previous year.

Denver Labor helps 4,500 people recover more than $2M in restitution

It is important to note that the teams currently have 236 open wage theft cases they are actively working to resolve. This increasing figure highlights that wage theft is a vital issue this office is tackling with limited resources. Wage theft affects the entire community. Lost wages mean less money circulating in Denver’s economy, and it also results in a significant amount of unpaid taxes and insurance premiums that fund the city’s operations and vital social safety net programs we all depend on.

When people don’t get the money they’ve earned, they’re at risk of falling behind on bills, struggling to pay for food and transportation, and facing eviction. Denver Labor enforces Denver’s civil wage theft, minimum wage, and prevailing wage laws. The citywide minimum wage rate will increase from $18.29 per hour to $18.81 per hour on Jan. 1, 2025. High-risk industries for wage theft include construction, gig companies, restaurants and bars, beauty and salon services, valet services, home care, and businesses along Denver’s borders.