<p>OP- did you ever fill out an I-9? This is the form that employers must file to prove that you are “eligible to work in the United States”, i.e. are either native born, have a Green Card, or have one of various visas (not tourist or not here illegally) which allow you to earn money.</p>
<p>If you didn’t- you were not an employee. simple as that. Even for student employment, the employee needs to produce a passport, a valid visa, a birth certificate, to prove their ability to work in the US. </p>
<p>You do not have standing to sue for back wages if you were never employed. The lost “scanned driver’s license” is not a valid proxy for an I-9; a driver’s license can be used in some states I believe… but it is the documentation used to file the I-9 and is not in and of itself proof that you were employed.</p>
<p>Life’s lesson for you. Move on, keep good records, get it in writing, and get past this.</p>