He has thought about filing a lawsuit, but he knows that what happened may not be technically illegal.

Asked in an email message if it was legal to pay an employee in dirty, grease-covered pennies, Eric R. Lucero, a spokesman for the U.S. Department of Labor, wrote, “There is nothing in the regulations that dictates in what currency the employee must be paid.”

pretty sure that's fuckin harassment by the books. not a lawyer, but can't you file a civil claim for harassment?