People across the political spectrum may differ in their ideas about how high the minimum wage should be and how often it should be increased, but there is a general consensus that if a minimum wage is put into law, it should be honored. Many people may be surprised, however, at the frequency with which such laws are flouted and workers are paid less than minimum wage.
A recent report from the Economic Policy Institute (EPI) finds that in Michigan and other states, minimum wage theft often occurs. From 2013 to 2015, approximately 130,000 Michigan workers experienced a minimum wage violation, with an average underpayment of $2.05 per hour (or $3,300 if for a full year). According to the report, minimum wage theft can take one or more of the following forms:
- Overt minimum wage violations: Paying workers less than the legal minimum wage;
- Overtime violations: Failing to pay nonexempt employees time-and-a-half for hours worked in excess of 40 hours per week;
- Off-the-clock violations: Asking employees to work off-the-clock before or after their shifts;
- Meal break violations: Denying workers their legal meal breaks;
- Pay stub and illegal deductions: Taking illegal deductions from workers’ wages or not distributing employee pay stubs;
- Tipped minimum wage violations: Confiscating tips from workers or failing to pay tipped workers the difference between their tips and the legal minimum wage (the tipped wage is also too low in general); or
- Employee misclassification violations: Misclassifying employees as independent contractors to pay a wage lower than the legal minimum.
More than 61% of Michigan’s workers experiencing minimum wage theft are women. Black and Hispanic workers are more likely to be victims than White workers or workers of other races, and Hispanic workers experience the most severe wage theft ($2.47 average hourly underpayment, compared with $2.11 for White workers and $1.72 for Black workers). Workers in the “food or drink service” industry are the most likely to be exploited, with 21.3% of such workers having experienced at least one minimum wage violation and workers in that industry making up 38.2% of the total number of Michigan workers experiencing violations. Nine out of 10 workers experiencing minimum wage theft are U.S.-born citizens.
The report estimates that nationally, unscrupulous employers are stealing around $15 billion annually from employees in minimum wage violations—an amount that exceeds the value of property crimes (robberies, burglaries, larceny and motor vehicle theft) committed in the United States each year, which in 2015 was $12.7 billion. One can surmise that in Michigan most cases of wage theft are not reported; the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs says that each year it receives over 5,000 claims and collects more than $2.0 million in wages and fringe benefits owed to Michigan workers—clearly far below EPI’s estimate of the frequency and magnitude of wage theft occurrence.
Wage theft is costly to society. Federal and state income taxes, along with payroll taxes that support Social Security and Medicare, are not fully deducted at the levels they should be. Moreover, when lower-paid workers are not paid the entire earnings that they are due, they likely spend less at local businesses and pay less in state sales taxes than they otherwise would. The hardship caused to workers should itself be a reason for alarm and outrage at wage theft, but the costs that are passed on to businesses, entitlement programs and state budgets provide an additional reason to take this crime seriously.
The League’s Making Ends Meet report shows that it’s nearly impossible to get by on minimum wage in Michigan, and we support raising the minimum wage and instituting other policies to protect wages and support workers. If you believe that you have been the victim of a wage theft violation, you can file a complaint with the State of Michigan. More information on how to do that is available here.
— Peter Ruark
Jay Cutler joined the League in March 2026 as the Kids Count Senior Data Analyst, where he collects, analyzes, and prepares data for Kids Count in Michigan.
Danielle Taylor-Basemore joined the League as the Development Data and Stewardship Coordinator in June 2025. She brings with her five years of nonprofit experience with a special focus on community engagement, data visualization and strategic programming. Prior to joining the League, Danielle served as the Business District, Safety, and Digital Manager at Jefferson East, Inc.
Scott Preston is a Senior Policy Analyst with the Michigan League for Public Policy, where he leads the organization’s immigration and criminal justice reform portfolios. In the three years prior to joining the League, Scott facilitated the Southeast Michigan Refugee Collaborative and managed a small business economic development program at Global Detroit. His work included launching Michigan’s first Refugee Film Festival and building on a trusted connector model that linked marginalized communities with crucial resources. Scott’s work at the League is informed by his background in journalism and research. He spent four years covering the Syrian refugee crisis in the Middle East for publications such as The Economist, and later worked with unaccompanied refugee minors through Samaritas. Scott holds a master’s degree in international migration and public policy from the London School of Economics and Political Science.
Kate Powers joined the League as the Chief Development Officer in February 2025. Prior to joining the League, Kate held leadership positions at many Michigan nonprofit organizations, most recently serving as the COO and Chief Development Officer of Ele’s Place. Kate has spent the bulk of her career in fundraising, with a short stint in the state Legislature as a legislative aide to members in both chambers. Kate is a graduate of Michigan State University’s James Madison College with a Bachelor of Arts in Social Relations and has a certificate in fundraising management from the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy at Indiana University. Additionally, Kate served on the East Lansing Public Schools Board of Education and is a past President of the Junior League of Lansing. In her free time, she enjoys traveling with her husband and her son and saving outfit of the day and home decor ideas on Pinterest. 
Nicholas Hess joined the League as the Fiscal Policy Analyst in September of 2024. In this role, Nicholas focuses on tax policy, government revenue, and their impact on working families and racial equity, including the effects of the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and Child Tax Credit (CTC). Nicholas values the role that judicious fiscal policy can play in the improvement of people’s lives and the economy, alleviating inequities along the way.
Audrey Matusz joined the League as the Visual Communications Specialist in September 2024. She supports the team with implementing social media strategies and brainstorming creative ways to talk about public policy. She brings with her nearly a decade of experience in producing digital products for evidence-based social justice initiatives. 
Jacob Kaplan 
Donald Stuckey 
Alexandra Stamm 
Amari Fuller
Mikell Frey is a communications professional with a passion for using the art of storytelling to positively impact lives. She strongly believes that positive social change can be inspired by the sharing of data-driven information coupled with the unique perspectives of people from all walks of life across Michigan, especially those who have faced extraordinary barriers. 
Yona Isaacs (she/hers) is an Early Childhood Data Analyst for the Kids Count project. After earning her Bachelor of Science in Biopsychology, Cognition, and Neuroscience at the University of Michigan, she began her career as a research coordinator in pediatric psychiatry using data to understand the impacts of brain activity and genetics on children’s behavior and mental health symptoms. This work prompted an interest in exploring social determinants of health and the role of policy in promoting equitable opportunities for all children, families, and communities. She returned to the University of Michigan to complete her Masters in Social Work focused on Social Policy and Evaluation, during which she interned with the ACLU of Michigan’s policy and legislative team and assisted local nonprofit organizations in creating data and evaluation metrics. She currently serves as a coordinator for the Michigan Center for Youth Justice on a project aiming to increase placement options and enhance cultural competency within the juvenile justice system for LGBTQIA+ youth. Yona is eager to put her data skills to work at the League in support of data-driven policies that advocate for equitable access to healthcare, education, economic security, and opportunity for 0-5 year old children. In her free time, she enjoys tackling DIY house projects and trying new outdoor activities with her dog.
Rachel Richards rejoined the League in December 2020 as the Fiscal Policy Director working on state budget and tax policies. Prior to returning to the League, she served as the Director of Legislative Affairs for the Michigan Department of Treasury, the tax policy analyst and Legislative Director for the Michigan League for Public Policy, and a policy analyst and the Appropriations Coordinator for the Democratic Caucus of the Michigan House of Representatives. She brings with her over a decade of experience in policies focused on economic opportunity, including workforce issues, tax, and state budget.
Simon Marshall-Shah joined the Michigan League for Public Policy as a State Policy Fellow in August 2019. His work focuses on state policy as it relates to the budget, immigration, health care and other League policy priorities. Before joining the League, he worked in Washington, D.C. at the Association for Community Affiliated Plans (ACAP), providing federal policy and advocacy support to nonprofit, Medicaid health plans (Safety Net Health Plans) related to the ACA Marketplaces as well as Quality & Operations.
Renell Weathers, Michigan League for Public Policy (MLPP) Community Engagement Consultant. As community engagement consultant, Renell works with organizations throughout the state in connecting the impact of budget and tax policies to their communities. She is motivated by the belief that all children and adults deserve the opportunity to achieve their dreams regardless of race, ethnicity, religion or economic class.
Emily Jorgensen joined the Michigan League for Public Policy in July 2019. She deeply cares about the well-being of individuals and families and has a great love for Michigan. She is grateful that her position at the League enables her to combine these passions and work to help promote policies that will lead to better opportunities and security for all Michiganders.
Megan Farnsworth joined the League’s staff in December 2022 as Executive Assistant. Megan is driven by work that is personally fulfilling, and feels honored to help support the work of an organization that pushes for more robust programming and opportunities for the residents of our state. She’s excited and motivated to gain overarching knowledge of the policies and agendas that the League supports.
