Labor Agency Won More Wage-Hour Penalties on Less Enforcement

The US Labor Department’s Wage and Hour Division closed fewer cases against employers in 2024 but levied nearly $10 million more in penalties.

In the last fiscal year, the agency—tasked with enforcing federal minimum wage, child labor, among numerous other laws—concluded 17,300 cases against employers, according to data provided by the agency, a drop from 20,215 in 2023.

Nevertheless, it brought in a significantly higher amount of penalties compared to 2023, assessing $36 million from employers.

The figures shed light on how the outgoing administration allocated its limited enforcement resources, and highlights areas of the law that frequently trip up ...