docmydisputeSign in

docmydispute · workplace

You worked the hours. You weren’t paid for them.

Your shifts, your pay slips, the conversation with the manager who promised to fix it — dated and kept in one record. Then the written grievance, and the agency to file it with.

Start your recordSee the free demo →

A tool of record — not legal advice.

The record · Unpaid wages
Apr 2 · In person
Worked 47 hrs. Paid for 40. No overtime line.
Apr 8 · Email
Emailed payroll with my timesheet. No reply.
Apr 15 · Phone
Manager: "It’ll be in the next check."
May 1 · Email
Next check short again. Grievance filed in writing.
Illustrative record. Names and dates are examples.

Is this you?

Is this happening to you?

You did the work. The pay does not match it. If this is where you are:

  • Hours on your timesheet that never appear on the pay slip
  • Overtime worked and quietly paid at the ordinary rate
  • Verbal promises to "sort it next pay run" that never arrive
  • Being told to raise it with someone who never replies
  • A filing deadline running while you decide whether to make a fuss

A wage claim is decided on the record — the hours, the pay slips, the dates you raised it, and what they said back. That is the thing this app builds.

How it works

Three steps.

  1. Keep the record

    Log every shift, pay slip, and conversation with HR or your manager, the moment it happens.

  2. Raise it in writing

    The assistant drafts the written grievance from your record, not from thin air. You review and approve every word.

  3. Escalate, with proof

    Ignored? Take a complete, dated case file to your labor board, the DOL, or the EEOC — the whole history, in order.

What to gather

For an unpaid-wages dispute, these are the documents people usually need. A guide, not a requirement — add whatever you have.

  • Employment contract
  • Pay slips
  • Written warnings
  • Performance reviews
  • Correspondence with employer
  • Witnesses' statements

If they still say no

You are not out of options.

An employer who ignores you is not the last word. Each step above them has a body that will look at your case. docmydispute knows the ladder for a workplace dispute in the United States, and keeps your record ready for whichever rung you reach.

  1. Direct complaint

    Direct complaint

    Raise the issue in writing with your employer or HR.

    Typically 14–30 days
  2. Federal/state agency

    EEOC / State Labor Board / DOL

    File with the EEOC (discrimination) or your labor board / DOL (wages).

    You have 180 days to fileOfficial site →
  3. Court

    State or federal court

    Civil suit, often after a right-to-sue letter.

    Typically 6–18 months
  4. Court / legal action

    Court / legal action

    Formal court proceedings. Consider engaging a lawyer at this stage.

    Typically 6–24 months

General guidance, not legal advice. Filing windows are strict and vary by agency, by state, and by the type of claim — the 180-day figure is a common federal deadline to FILE, not a waiting time, and some states differ. Check the deadline that applies to you, and note the date the problem began.

When you hand it over

One file. The whole story, in order.

Whether it goes to HR, a state labor board, the Department of Labor, or an employment lawyer, they all want the same thing: what happened, on what date, with the documents attached. Not a folder of screenshots.

A dated record of every exchange

Each conversation, email, and meeting — attributed to the side that spoke.

The grievance you raised, as you sent it

Drafted from your record, reviewed by you, kept with the rest.

The evidence, indexed and attached

Your contract, pay slips, and timesheets — numbered and referenced.

It never invents events. The words are yours to approve.

Start today

The next call you make should be written down.

Start the record now, while the dates are still fresh. It costs nothing to look.

Start your recordSee the free demo →

Questions

Documenting unpaid wages

How long do I have to file a wage claim?
Filing windows are strict and depend on the agency and the type of claim. The commonly cited federal figure for a discrimination charge is 180 days to file with the EEOC, which is a deadline to file rather than a waiting period, and some states extend it. Wage-and-hour claims run on their own clock. Check the deadline that applies to you and note the date the problem started.
What should I keep if I have not been paid correctly?
Your employment contract or offer letter, every pay slip, your own record of hours worked, any written warnings or performance reviews, and all correspondence with your employer — including messages that went unanswered.
Should I raise it with my employer first?
Usually yes, and in writing, so there is a dated record that you did. Keep the exact wording, the date you sent it, and any reply. If nothing changes, that written attempt becomes part of what you file.
What is the difference between the EEOC and the Department of Labor?
Broadly, the EEOC handles discrimination and harassment charges, while the Department of Labor and your state labor board handle wage-and-hour matters such as unpaid overtime and minimum wage. Which one applies depends on what happened to you.
What does docmydispute actually do?
It keeps a dated record of every exchange with your employer, drafts the written grievance from that record for you to review before sending, and compiles a complete case file you can hand to an agency or a lawyer. It is a tool of record — it does not give legal advice.

Other situations

Dealing with more than one thing?

docmydispute works the same way for any dispute where someone has more power than you. A few others:

Denied insurance claimAn insurer that said no, and an appeal deadline running.Security deposit withheldA landlord who will not return what you are owed.Wrongful terminationFired for a reason that does not add up.Debt collector or bank errorA collector chasing a debt you dispute, or a charge nobody can explain.

See every situation →