What is meant by 'wage theft'?

'Wage theft' refers specifically to the illegal withholding of wages from workers, which is why this answer is the most accurate. It encompasses a range of unlawful practices, such as not paying employees for all hours worked, failing to provide mandated overtime pay, or making unauthorized deductions from paychecks.

Wage theft is a significant issue in labor rights, as it directly impacts workers' earnings and can lead to financial instability for individuals and families. The essence of wage theft is rooted in its illegality and the violation of labor laws designed to protect workers' rights to fair compensation.

The other concepts, while related to wage issues, do not capture the full scope of wage theft. For example, underpayment of a worker generally suggests they are being compensated but less than what they might deserve based on their labor or market standards. Payment below the market rate pertains more to the comparability of wages rather than legality, and overtime pay disputes often relate to disagreements rather than outright theft of wages. Therefore, understanding wage theft as the illegal withholding of wages highlights its unlawful nature and the critical need for worker protections against such practices.