Michigan does not have a single agency called a “labor board.” The Michigan labor board that most workers are looking for is the Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity (LEO), an umbrella agency whose sub-divisions handle unpaid wages, workplace safety, unemployment, job injuries, and public-sector union matters.1Labor and Economic Opportunity. Labor and Economic Opportunity Which office you contact depends on what happened to you.
Which Agency Handles Your Problem
Each type of workplace complaint has its own destination inside or alongside LEO:
- Unpaid wages, missing overtime, or denied sick time: LEO’s Wage and Hour Division.
- Unsafe working conditions: Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration (MIOSHA).
- Job loss and unemployment benefits: Unemployment Insurance Agency (UIA).
- Injuries on the job: Workers’ Disability Compensation Agency (WDCA).
- Public-sector union disputes: Michigan Employment Relations Commission (MERC). Private-sector union disputes go to the federal National Labor Relations Board instead.
- Employment discrimination: Michigan Department of Civil Rights (MDCR), which sits outside LEO.
All of the LEO divisions sit under its Labor Division except UIA, which is its own agency under the LEO umbrella.2Labor and Economic Opportunity. LEO – Contact
Unpaid Wages, Overtime, and Sick Time
The Wage and Hour Division inside LEO enforces Michigan’s minimum wage, overtime rules, and the Earned Sick Time Act. As of January 1, 2026, Michigan’s minimum wage is $13.73 per hour.3Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity. LEO – Minimum Wage and Overtime Tipped workers can be paid a base rate equal to 38% of the standard minimum, but only if tips push their total pay to at least the full minimum; if not, the employer must make up the difference.4Michigan Legislature. Michigan Compiled Laws 408.414d
Overtime for most Michigan employers follows the federal Fair Labor Standards Act: time-and-a-half for hours worked beyond 40 in a workweek.5Michigan Legislature. Workforce Opportunity Wage Act – Act 138 of 2014 Salaried employees in executive, administrative, or professional roles who earn at least $684 per week ($35,568 per year) may be exempt.6U.S. Department of Labor. Earnings Thresholds for the Executive, Administrative, and Professional Exemption
Paid sick time is now governed by the Earned Sick Time Act (MCL 408.961), which covers every Michigan employer regardless of size.7Michigan Legislature. Michigan Compiled Laws 408.961 – Short Title Workers accrue one hour of paid sick time for every 30 hours worked. At employers with 11 or more workers, you can use up to 72 hours per year; at employers with 10 or fewer, the annual usage cap is 40 hours. Unused time carries over, though the annual usage caps still apply.8Michigan Legislature. Michigan Compiled Laws 408.963 Employers can front-load the full amount at the start of the year instead of tracking accruals.9Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity. Earned Sick Time Act – Frequently Asked Questions
Filing a Wage Complaint
You have three years from the date of the violation to file a wage complaint with the Wage and Hour Division.10Michigan Legislature. Michigan Compiled Laws 408.419 Sooner is better, because payroll records and memories both fade. Before you start, gather:
- Your employer’s exact legal name and mailing address (check your W-2 or pay stub).
- The specific dates you worked during the unpaid period.
- Your best calculation of the dollar amount owed, broken down by pay period if possible.
- The type of claim: unpaid minimum wage, missing overtime, or withheld fringe benefits.
- For fringe benefit claims like vacation or bonus pay, written documentation showing the employer promised those benefits.11Michigan Legislature. Michigan Compiled Laws 408.488
The form is the Wage and Benefit Complaint (WHD-9430). File online through LEO’s portal for a digital receipt, or mail the PDF using certified mail so you have proof of delivery.12Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity. Online Employment Wage Complaint Form
What Happens Next
An investigator reviews the complaint, confirms jurisdiction, and sends the employer a formal notice requesting payroll records. Expect the process to take several months. If the division finds a violation, the employer can owe the back pay plus 10% annual interest running from the date it was notified. For flagrant or repeated violations, the department can order exemplary damages of up to twice the amount owed, and a civil penalty of up to $1,000 per violation may apply.11Michigan Legislature. Michigan Compiled Laws 408.488
You can skip the administrative process and sue in civil court instead. A successful lawsuit under the Workforce Opportunity Wage Act can recover the unpaid wages, an equal amount in liquidated damages, plus court costs and attorney fees.10Michigan Legislature. Michigan Compiled Laws 408.419
Workplace Safety Complaints
MIOSHA enforces state workplace safety standards. File online or by downloading MIOSHA’s complaint form and mailing or faxing it. Signed complaints are more likely to trigger an on-site inspection; unsigned ones are usually handled by contacting the employer by phone or letter.13Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity. File a Safety or Health Hazard Complaint With MIOSHA
For emergencies or immediately life-threatening conditions, call MIOSHA at 800-866-4674. Telephone complaints generally aren’t accepted otherwise, except for construction hazards.
If your employer retaliates against you for raising safety concerns, the deadline is short. You have 30 days to file a discrimination complaint with MIOSHA’s Employee Discrimination Section at 313-456-3109.13Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity. File a Safety or Health Hazard Complaint With MIOSHA
Unemployment Benefits
The Unemployment Insurance Agency provides temporary income to workers who lose their jobs through no fault of their own. As of January 1, 2026, the maximum weekly benefit is $530.14Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity. Unemployment Weekly Benefit Rate Increases Jan. 1, 2026
You file through the Michigan Web Account Manager (MiWAM) portal, which is also where you certify for benefits every two weeks. The UIA offers phone, virtual, and in-person appointments for claimants who need help.15Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity. LEO – Unemployment Insurance Agency To stay eligible, you must actively search for work and register with the state’s employment services. Missing a certification or skipping the work-search requirement is one of the fastest ways to lose benefits.
Injuries on the Job
If you’re hurt at work, Michigan’s Workers’ Disability Compensation Agency (WDCA) administers wage replacement and medical benefits under the Workers’ Disability Compensation Act.16Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity. Workers’ Disability Compensation Agency Claims and forms go through the WDCA’s secure File Transfer Service portal, and the agency provides mediation and formal hearings if a dispute arises.
One warning: legitimate workers’ compensation claims never require you to pay money, fees, or deposits before receiving benefits. Anyone asking for payment is running a scam.
Union and Collective Bargaining Disputes
Who handles a union-related dispute in Michigan depends on whether your employer is public or private.
The Michigan Employment Relations Commission (MERC) handles labor relations for public-sector workers, including teachers, firefighters, and state employees. Its authority comes from the Public Employment Relations Act (MCL 423.201), which governs collective bargaining, union representation elections, and unfair labor practice charges in government workplaces.17Michigan Legislature. Michigan Compiled Laws 423.201 – Definitions and Rights of Public Employees MERC oversees union elections, mediates contract disputes, and provides neutral arbitrators for impasses involving public safety workers, teachers, and municipal employees.18Michigan Legislature. Michigan Compiled Laws Act 336 of 1947 – Public Employment Relations
Private-sector union disputes are federal. The National Labor Relations Board takes jurisdiction over retail businesses with at least $500,000 in annual revenue and non-retail businesses with at least $50,000 in annual interstate commerce.19National Labor Relations Board. Jurisdictional Standards If you work for a private employer, MERC is not the right agency.
Discrimination Claims Go to a Different Agency
Employment discrimination in Michigan is not handled by LEO. Complaints go to the Michigan Department of Civil Rights (MDCR). The Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act prohibits discrimination based on religion, race, color, national origin, age, sex, height, weight, and marital status.20Michigan Department of Civil Rights. Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act The MDCR’s portal also lists sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information, familial status, arrest record, and disability as protected categories.21Michigan Department of Civil Rights. MDCR Civil Rights Public Portal
You have 180 days from the incident to file with the MDCR. Because Michigan has its own anti-discrimination agency, your deadline to file a federal charge with the EEOC extends from 180 to 300 days if you take the federal route instead.22U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Time Limits for Filing a Charge
Are You Even Covered?
Michigan’s wage, overtime, and sick time protections apply to employees, not independent contractors. Whether you’re an employee doesn’t turn on what your paperwork says. The federal Department of Labor uses a six-factor “economic reality” test that looks at the whole working relationship, including how much control the employer exercises, whether you can profit or lose money through your own decisions, and whether you use specialized skills and independent initiative.23U.S. Department of Labor. Employment Relationship Under the Fair Labor Standards Act
Signing an independent contractor agreement, receiving a 1099 instead of a W-2, or choosing where you work does not automatically make you a contractor. If the economic reality shows you depend on the employer rather than running your own business, you are likely an employee entitled to Michigan’s protections regardless of what the paperwork calls you.