Protecting Low-Wage Workers From Exploitation: A Mapping Study of Wage Theft Laws in the 40 Largest US Cities.

Abstract

<b>Objectives.</b> We measured key features of local and state wage theft laws in the 40 largest US cities to assess the added value of local legislation and to create scientific legal data for use in evaluating the health impact of wage theft laws. <b>Methods.</b> We adapted standard policy surveillance methods to collect and code local and state minimum wage and nonpayment of wages theft laws from January 1, 2010, to April 15, 2023. <b>Results.</b> Compared with state laws, local wage theft legislation was proportionally more likely to contain features that facilitated worker complaints and to provide flexible enforcement tools. Only 4 of the 40 largest cities were totally preempted from enacting local wage theft legislation. <b>Conclusions.</b> Local wage theft laws provide an opportunity for innovative mechanisms to support complaint filing and enforcement. More cities could enact wage theft laws without preemption concerns. <b>Public Health Implications.</b> Ensuring that low-wage workers are fairly paid is important to health and health equity. Our research provides scientific legal data for use in evaluating the health effects of these widely applied protections. (<i>Am J Public Health.</i> 2026;116(4):492-501. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2025.308351).