How McDonald’s workers can report pay, safety and harassment

If you work in a McDonald’s restaurant as crew, a shift lead, manager, or on a franchise payroll, there are established federal routes to report unpaid wages, harassment, unsafe conditions or retaliation. This guide lays out which agencies handle which problems, how to file, what documentation to gather and what to expect during investigations.

For unpaid minimum wage, overtime, misclassification or other wage-and-hour disputes file with the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division. The WHD handles FLSA issues including unpaid final wages and child-labor violations. Call the WHD helpline at 1-866-4-US-WAGE (1-866-487-9243), use the WHD online complaint portal or visit a local WHD office. Complaints can be submitted confidentially and a third party may file for you. Expect investigators to ask for pay stubs, time records, schedules and written communication.

If you face discrimination, sexual harassment, a hostile work environment or retaliation tied to a protected characteristic such as race, gender, disability or age, start with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. The EEOC enforces Title VII, the ADA, the ADEA and related statutes. Use the EEOC Public Portal to submit an inquiry, schedule an intake and file a charge online, or file in person or by mail at a local EEOC office. Be aware of strict filing deadlines — typically 180 days, sometimes extended to 300 days — and bring dates, names, witnesses and any messages or HR reports you have.

Workplace safety hazards, on-the-job injury risks and certain whistleblower claims fall under the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. File safety or whistleblower complaints online, by phone at 800-321-6742, or in writing to your local OSHA office. OSHA accepts anonymous complaints and can sometimes dispatch an inspector quickly for imminent dangers. Whistleblower protections and deadlines vary by statute, so file promptly if you think you were retaliated against for raising safety concerns.

Before contacting agencies, document everything and, when safe, follow your restaurant’s internal reporting channels to create an internal record. Keep copies of pay stubs, schedules, screenshots of messages, witness names, dates and descriptions, and any medical records if relevant. Agencies often treat retaliatory discipline as a separate claim. Many states and cities also have labor or civil-rights agencies with broader protections or longer filing windows; dual filing with a state agency and the EEOC is common.

Expect investigations to take weeks to months and know agencies will try to keep identities confidential where possible, though some disclosure may be necessary to investigate. For complex or high-stakes cases — large unpaid wages, severe harassment, termination or persistent retaliation — consider consulting an employment attorney or a worker-advocacy organization; many offer low-cost or free consultations.

For quick reference, contact the DOL Wage and Hour Division via dol.gov/agencies/whd/contact, the EEOC through its public portal at eeoc.gov, and OSHA’s complaint resources at osha.gov. Keeping a thorough paper trail and filing promptly are the clearest ways to protect your rights and move a complaint forward.