20 California industries with Labor Department wage cases
Ordered by back wages agreed. Industries follow the NAICS sector the Division coded for the employer.
| Industry | Cases | With violations | Back wages | Workers paid | Latest |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 5,766 | 4,747 | $74,384,767 | 51,968 | Jun 4, 2026 |
| Health Care and Social Assistance | 3,938 | 3,053 | $68,664,589 | 35,440 | Jul 2, 2026 |
| Construction | 2,663 | 1,762 | $57,010,780 | 41,012 | May 7, 2026 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management Services | 2,030 | 1,408 | $47,167,241 | 45,028 | Apr 25, 2026 |
| Accommodation and Food Services | 4,307 | 3,097 | $42,888,281 | 27,237 | Jul 12, 2026 |
| Transportation and Warehousing | 1,371 | 933 | $37,487,262 | 13,237 | Jun 9, 2026 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 919 | 647 | $30,510,826 | 13,355 | Jun 27, 2026 |
| Retail Trade | 2,370 | 1,527 | $17,607,873 | 17,153 | Jul 31, 2026 |
| Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 2,871 | 2,243 | $17,564,590 | 34,342 | Sep 6, 2026 |
| Other Services (except Public Administration) | 1,180 | 816 | $13,860,665 | 10,354 | Mar 8, 2026 |
| Information | 271 | 193 | $12,534,430 | 11,930 | Mar 3, 2025 |
| Public Administration | 167 | 93 | $8,769,656 | 3,506 | Aug 1, 2025 |
| Wholesale Trade | 957 | 729 | $7,860,124 | 5,451 | Feb 24, 2026 |
| Finance and Insurance | 320 | 221 | $7,768,770 | 7,752 | Jul 7, 2026 |
| Real Estate and Rental and Leasing | 224 | 157 | $3,759,852 | 2,527 | Jul 22, 2025 |
| Educational Services | 219 | 152 | $3,239,332 | 1,195 | Jan 31, 2026 |
| Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation | 259 | 156 | $2,289,720 | 1,524 | Nov 29, 2025 |
| Utilities | 79 | 49 | $2,214,760 | 1,863 | Oct 13, 2024 |
| Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction | 42 | 31 | $741,322 | 556 | Jul 17, 2024 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | 20 | 13 | $663,642 | 557 | Oct 30, 2021 |
About this data: Cases come from the U.S. Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division enforcement database (WHD compliance actions concluded since fiscal year 2005, California employers only), published by the Department of Labor and reloaded here every month. "Back wages" are amounts the employer agreed to pay at the close of the investigation; "penalties" are civil money penalties assessed. An investigation that found no violation is listed as such. The database does not include California Labor Commissioner cases or private lawsuits. This page is general information, not legal advice about your situation.