How to Write a Demand Letter for Unpaid Wages (With Template)

A demand letter for unpaid wages is a dated, written request that names the missing pay, shows how you calculated it, and asks the employer to fix it by a stated deadline. For a clear payroll error, it can be the quickest route, because it gives the employer a chance to correct the mistake before an agency or a lawyer is involved.

A good letter is evidence, not a threat. The U.S. Department of Labor says a worker can contact the Wage and Hour Division about unpaid federal minimum wage or overtime and that complaints are confidential. A letter is optional, so do not let drafting one delay a time-sensitive claim. See the DOL complaint process.

When a letter makes sense

Send one when the claim is documented and calculable, the amount is modest next to the cost of a lawsuit, you are still employed and want to try an internal fix first, or you suspect an honest error. It also builds the record. The employer's reply, or silence, becomes part of the file in any later complaint. If you are not sure there is a violation, read what is wage theft first.

What goes in it

Your name, job title and dates of employment. The type of pay at issue (overtime, minimum wage, off-the-clock time). The pay periods covered. The calculation, line by line. A request for written payment by a specific date. If you cite a law, make sure it fits your facts and your state. When unsure, describe the pay problem and leave the legal conclusion out.

Attach or keep the records behind the number: pay stubs, schedules, time records, messages about hours and your own log. The back-pay calculator produces a week-by-week starting calculation, which you should check against your records before you send it.

A template you can adapt

Date. To: [name], Payroll [or Owner], [company], [address]. Re: Request for payment of unpaid overtime, [your name], [job title].

Dear [name]: I worked for [company] as a [job title] from [start date] to [present or end date]. For the 12 workweeks from March 3 through May 23, I worked an average of 47 hours a week and was paid for 40 at $20.00 an hour. The 7 hours a week over 40 should have been paid at my regular rate of $20.00 x 1.5 = $30.00. My calculation is 7 hours x $30.00 = $210.00 a week, x 12 weeks = $2,520.00. My pay stubs and a weekly breakdown are attached.

I am asking that $2,520.00 be paid to me by [date, 14 days after the letter]. Please reply in writing if you believe any figure is wrong, and tell me which records you are relying on. If this is not resolved by that date, I will consider the options available to me, including a complaint to the Department of Labor and my state labor agency. Sincerely, [name, phone, email].

Swap in your own weeks, hours and rate. If part of the work was off the clock and you do not know the exact hours, say that these are your best good-faith estimates and list how you reached them. The $29 Claim Kit produces this letter pre-filled from your back-pay figures if you would rather not draft it.

Tone

State facts. Do not accuse anyone of fraud or intent, and do not argue the law. You are documenting a debt and setting a deadline. Calm, specific and short works better than angry and long, because the numbers do the persuading.

How to send it

Use a method that leaves a record: a work email you can still access, a personal email copied to yourself, or tracked mail. Keep the exact version you sent and the delivery confirmation. Address it to whoever can fix payroll: payroll, HR or the owner. Do not sign a release or cash a payment marked as full settlement until you understand which claims it covers.

Put the letter, delivery record and supporting documents in one folder. For each disputed pay period, note the date, hours worked, rate paid, rate you believe applies and the difference. Do not alter originals.

After you send it

If the employer pays or proposes an agreement, get the terms in writing and confirm which pay periods and claims it covers. If it denies or ignores the letter, keep the response with your records and move to an agency complaint, using how to file a Department of Labor complaint. A letter does not stop the limitations clock, so do not wait indefinitely.

Workers are protected from retaliation for asserting wage-and-hour rights. If your hours, schedule or pay change after you raise the issue, write down what happened and when and review the WHD retaliation guidance.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a lawyer to send a demand letter? No. A clear letter with a solid calculation is often enough. For a large claim, a letter on an attorney's letterhead carries more weight, but it is not required.

Will sending one hurt my chances with the DOL? No. If the letter fails, a complaint is your next step and the letter shows the employer knew about the dispute.

What if my numbers are wrong? Send your best good-faith calculation and say so. Employers often reply with their own records, which can sharpen the figure. Being precise and reasonable protects your credibility either way.

Get the calculation right first

The letter stands or falls on the number. Build a week-by-week breakdown with the back-pay calculator, attach it, and send the letter by a trackable method. This is general information, not legal advice.