A study has revealed that Florida ranks fourth among U.S. states in wage theft violations, with an average of $1,657 owed to each affected worker. Employers across the state have failed to pay nearly $16.5 million in wages to employees since 2021, impacting almost 10,000 workers.
According to Goat Academy , a financial education group that analyzed U.S. Department of Labor data, Florida companies committed 23,176 violations over the past three years. The study highlights wage theft as a significant and ongoing issue, emphasizing the financial strain it imposes on workers amid rising living costs.
“Wage theft in the United States is an economic injustice and silent epidemic,” said Felix Prehn, a spokesperson for Goat Academy. “This study highlights the severity of it in some states and just how many hard-working citizens are being stolen from.”
Florida’s numbers are part of a broader national issue, with more than $128 million in unpaid wages owed to employees across the U.S. The top three states—Maryland, Delaware, and Virginia—each have higher per-worker averages, but Florida’s total violations and affected workers stand out. Maryland, for example, leads with an average of $2,221 owed per worker, but Florida’s sheer volume of violations ranks among the highest.
Goat Academy’s findings underline a troubling pattern of companies exploiting workers. Nationally, wage theft violations involve various industries, disproportionately affecting low-wage and vulnerable workers.
“No one should have their wages kept from them,” Prehn added. “Especially in today’s economic climate where the cost of living continues to rise at an alarming rate.”