Rosa DeLauro (D-CT)
Wage Theft Prevention and Wage Recovery Act
A Democratic bill with 30 Democratic cosponsors · See all 30 cosponsors
Last activity — Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.
In committee
Introduced and handed to a committee in the chamber it started in.
The committee holds it, and most bills are never heard from again. A hearing or a committee vote would be news; silence is the usual outcome, and it kills the bill without anyone voting against it.
Its path through Congress
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
The Wage Theft Prevention and Wage Recovery Act aims to amend the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 and the Portal-to-Portal Act of 1947. It focuses on preventing wage theft and helping workers recover unpaid earnings. The bill introduces requirements for employers to provide specific disclosures, regular paystubs, and timely final payments. It also strengthens civil and criminal penalties for wage violations. Additionally, the Act authorizes the Secretary of Labor to administer grants to support enforcement and community partnerships.
Yes· 3 of 13
- Scored +7
Would households on low incomes be better off under this?
The bill provides stronger legal tools and higher damages to help low-wage workers recover stolen earnings.
- Scored +7
Would Black Americans be better off under this?
The bill provides enhanced enforcement and higher damages to combat wage theft that disproportionately affects Black Americans.
- Scored +7
Would women be better off under this?
The bill strengthens protections against wage theft which the bill notes disproportionately affects women.
The opposite
- Scored -6
Would business owners be better off under this?
The bill significantly increases civil and criminal penalties and introduces strict new administrative requirements for employers.
- Scored -4
Does this make it easier to run a small business?
The bill imposes strict new recordkeeping, disclosure, and higher penalty requirements that increase the compliance burden on employers.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Increased Transparency for Workers: Employers must provide initial disclosures regarding pay rates and classification, as well as regular paystubs that include detailed information like total hours worked and itemized deductions (Section 101).
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Guaranteed Final Pay: Upon termination, employers are required to provide final payments including all compensation and benefits within a specific timeframe (Section 101).
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Right to Full Compensation: The bill establishes a right for employees to receive the full compensation specified in their employment agreements or collective bargaining agreements (Section 102).
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Stronger Legal Recourse: The Act increases the statute of limitations for filing claims and provides for higher liquidated damages and interest to help workers recover stolen wages (Section 103, Section 201).
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Protection of Rights in Court: The bill prevents employees from being forced to waive their rights to bring legal actions through employment or arbitration agreements (Section 103).
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Enhanced Enforcement through Grants: The grant program supports community partnerships and outreach to educate workers about their rights and assist them in filing claims (Section 302).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
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Increased Penalties for Employers: The bill introduces significant civil fines for violations of wage requirements, which can reach up to $250,150 for repeated or willful violations (Section 103).
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Criminal Liability: Employers who willfully falsify records or violate certain wage provisions may be referred to the Department of Justice for prosecution (Section 103).
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Strict Recordkeeping Mandates: Employers are required to provide copies of payroll records upon request within 21 days, and failure to maintain complete records can lead to a legal presumption that the employee's claims are accurate (Section 104).
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Tap or hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would Black Americans be better off under this? — The bill provides enhanced enforcement and higher damages to combat wage theft that disproportionately affects Black Americans. Would households on low incomes be better off under this? — The bill provides stronger legal tools and higher damages to help low-wage workers recover stolen earnings. Would women be better off under this? — The bill strengthens protections against wage theft which the bill notes disproportionately affects women. Would immigrants be better off under this? — The bill provides improved tools for workers, including foreign-born workers, to recover unpaid wages. Would Hispanic Americans be better off under this? — The bill provides better protections for all workers, including those in highly noncompliant industries often populated by immigrant populations. Would union members be better off under this? — The bill strengthens the enforcement of wages specified in collective bargaining agreements. Would middle-income households be better off under this? — The bill protects the wages of working families from theft and ensures full compensation for all work performed. Would business owners be better off under this? — The bill significantly increases civil and criminal penalties and introduces strict new administrative requirements for employers.
- Social Issues And Justice
- Does this narrow the gap between how men and women are treated? — The bill targets wage theft which is noted to disproportionately affect women. Does this narrow racial gaps in how people are treated? — The bill addresses wage theft which disproportionately affects African Americans, according to the bill's findings. Does this make it easier for immigrants already here to become citizens? — The bill protects the wages of foreign-born workers who are identified as being at higher risk of wage theft.
- Governance And Ideology
- Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see? — The bill mandates specific paystub disclosures and access to payroll records to increase transparency for workers.
- Economy And Finance
- Does this strengthen the rights of workers to organise? — The bill enhances collective bargaining by ensuring employees are compensated at the rates specified in their collective bargaining agreements. Is this likely to grow the economy? — The bill seeks to increase consumer spending power by ensuring workers receive their full earned wages. Does this make it easier to run a small business? — The bill imposes strict new recordkeeping, disclosure, and higher penalty requirements that increase the compliance burden on employers.
- 11/9/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 11/2/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 10/22/2026
- 2 Cosponsors added.
- 9/1/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 8/24/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 7/20/2026
- 2 Cosponsors added.
- 7/16/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 7/14/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 7/13/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 6/30/2026
- 2 Cosponsors added.
- 6/25/2026
- Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.
- 17 Cosponsors added.
- Introduced in House
5 bills Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.
Alma AdamsDemocrat · North Carolina
Suzanne BonamiciDemocrat · Oregon
Nikki BudzinskiDemocrat · Illinois
André CarsonDemocrat · Indiana
Judy ChuDemocrat · California
Mark DeSaulnierDemocrat · California
Debbie DingellDemocrat · Michigan
Maxine DexterDemocrat · Oregon
Dwight EvansDemocrat · Pennsylvania
Adelita GrijalvaDemocrat · Arizona
Jahana HayesDemocrat · Connecticut
Jonathan JacksonDemocrat · Illinois
Ro KhannaDemocrat · California
Raja KrishnamoorthiDemocrat · Illinois
John LarsonDemocrat · Connecticut
Summer LeeDemocrat · Pennsylvania
James McGovernDemocrat · Massachusetts
LaMonica McIverDemocrat · New Jersey
Jerrold NadlerDemocrat · New York
Eleanor NortonDemocrat · District of Columbia
Ilhan OmarDemocrat · Minnesota
Mark PocanDemocrat · Wisconsin
Robert ScottDemocrat · Virginia
Janice SchakowskyDemocrat · Illinois
Andrea SalinasDemocrat · Oregon
Lateefah SimonDemocrat · California
Mark TakanoDemocrat · California
Rashida TlaibDemocrat · Michigan
Jill TokudaDemocrat · Hawaii
Bonnie Watson ColemanDemocrat · New Jersey