State labor boards can be extremely harsh on these cases. It could have been as simple as making a report to your state’s labor agency and letting them handle it. If nothing else, it sends a message to the company that they can’t get away with it.

I’m sure the time has long passed for you, but it’s worth noting for any other people reading this who might end up in similar circumstances.

And that’s exactly why wage theft exceeds all other forms of theft. If someone steals from the cash register, the state bears the cost of proving it and punishing them. But when the boss steals, it’s up to the victim to foot the investigative bill, and it’s rarely worth it.

+1 for use of "dog-diggety"