California collects millions in stolen wages, but can’t find many workers to pay them

Nearly a year after California settled a major wage theft case with The Cheesecake Factory, most of the money hasn’t reached the workers, underscoring the state’s challenges in helping employees get back pay.

Only 42 of the former janitors who worked for the restaurant chain’s contractors have received their cut of the settlement, a spokesperson for the Labor Commissioner’s Office said. More than 500 workers haven’t been found, leaving nearly $700,000 of the $1 million settlement unclaimed in state accounts.