Does your boss owe you back wages? Here’s how to find out

Florida workers who’ve been ripped off by their bosses may be eligible to claim their share of $4.3 million in unpaid back wages.

The funds are being held by the U.S. Department of Labor, which has set up an online tool so employees can find out if they are owed money. The searchable database is available at the following website: http://webapps.dol.gov/wow/.

The labor department’s Wage and Hour Division investigates companies that may not be paying their workers proper overtime or minimum wages, among other violations. When the agency discovers an infraction, it recovers back wages from the company and pays out the money to wronged employees.

But the feds can’t always locate the workers. In those cases, the agency holds onto the funds.

Don’t wait too long to find out if you’re owed back wages: After three years, Uncle Sam puts the cash into his own pocket.

This story was originally published August 17, 2015 at 12:33 PM with the headline "Does your boss owe you back wages? Here’s how to find out."