The number of Wage and Hour Division (WHD) investigators who enforce minimum wage, misclassification, overtime, child labor, and other workplace standards fell to a historic low this month, sparking concerns about the government’s ability to police wage theft. The WHD had 611 investigators as of mid-May, having lost about 39 full time equivalents since the end of last fiscal year. That figure is the lowest since 1973. The WHD has struggled with retention and recruitment in recent years which former staff have blamed on workload and low pay compared to other similar government positions.
