Missouri and Kansas employers owe over $2.4 million to around 4,800 workers — and the U.S. Department of Labor just made it easier to get your back pay.

The new online Workers Owed Wages tool seeks to reunite workers with unpaid wages from the past three years. If you think you were underpaid during that time, this online system may be able to help.

According to Department of Labor spokesperson Rhonda Burke, around 3,200 Missouri workers are owed a collective $1.4 million, while around 1,575 Kansas workers are owed approximately $1 million.

Some of the most common industries from which the department recovered unpaid wages were construction, health care, agriculture, food service and retail.

Here’s how to use the new online tool to recover your lost wages.

How do I check whether I’m owed back wages?

Start by looking up your past employers through the tool online. Simply type in the name of your employer at webapps.dol.gov/wow. You can also search for a keyword that may appear in the employer’s name, like “hospital,” “restaurant” or “construction.”

You can narrow your employer search down by state if you want to, but this isn’t required. If your employer doesn’t show up, the government may not have a record of them owing back wages to their employees.

If you do find your employer, the next step is to enter your first and last name to see whether any wages are owed to you.

If you believe you are owed back wages but your name doesn’t return any results, you can still call the Department of Labor at 866-487-9243 to check their records and get more information.

How do I claim my unpaid wages?

If you find yourself listed in the Workers Owed Wages system, you will need to fill out a Wage Claim Form. Simply provide some contact information and a form will be emailed to you to complete.

Next, create a login.gov account by following the instructions provided and upload your completed form along with supporting documents. You’ll be asked to provide some form of identification — this can include a pay stub, a W-2 form, a driver’s license, a Social Security card or another form of identification.

Burke noted that workers are not required to provide proof of their U.S. residency or immigration status in order to access their unpaid wages.

“The Department of Labor does not ask or record immigration status of workers,” she said. “Anyone working in the U.S. must be paid according to federal wage laws, regardless of status.”

Once you submit your form and identification, the Department of Labor will process your materials and send you a check for your unpaid wages. This can take up to six weeks.

If you believe you’re being wrongfully underpaid, you can report your employer to the U.S. Department of Labor online or by calling 866-487-9243. Your employer is not allowed to retaliate against you for filing a complaint or cooperating with an investigation.

Do you have more questions about labor or wages in Missouri? Ask the Service Journalism team at kcq@kcstar.com.