A wage claim asks a government agency to look at your pay and order the employer to pay what is owed. Most states have a labor agency that takes claims; your state page lists it. The federal Wage and Hour Division takes complaints too, at 1-866-487-9243, in many languages.
Bring what you have: pay stubs, your own record of hours and tips, schedules, screenshots. Your own notes count as evidence.
Deadlines apply. Under federal law it is generally two years, or three if the violation was willful, and states differ. It is illegal for an employer to punish you for complaining about pay. Many people start by asking payroll, and a short letter can help. See what to do if you were underpaid.
Check your own paycheck
Enter your stub and your hours. The checker applies your state's rules and shows anything that is short, with the rule behind it. Nothing you type leaves your browser.