Cory Booker (D-NJ)
Fair Wages for Incarcerated Workers Act of 2026
A Democratic bill with 2 Democratic cosponsors · See all 2 cosponsors
Last activity — Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
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 Fair Wages for Incarcerated Workers Act of 2026 aims to change how incarcerated individuals are treated under the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938. This bill would expand the definition of an "employee" to include incarcerated workers at both public and private correctional facilities. It provides a specific definition for "incarcerated worker" and "court-imposed fee." Additionally, the bill mandates that certain deductions from wages cannot be included in the required wage for these workers.
Yes· 3 of 5
- Scored +6
Does this raise the lowest wage an employer may pay?
The bill ensures incarcerated workers receive their full wage by preventing deductions for board, lodging, or court fees from counting toward minimum wage requirements.
- Scored +5
Would Black Americans be better off under this?
This may disproportionately benefit African American incarcerated populations who are more represented in the justice system.
- Scored +5
Is this likely to lift people out of poverty?
By protecting wages from deductions, the bill helps increase the actual take-home pay for incarcerated individuals.
The opposite
- Scored -3
Would business owners be better off under this?
The bill may impose new wage-related costs on private entities operating correctional facilities.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Wage Protections for Incarcerated Workers: The bill amends the Fair Labor Standards Act so that the cost of board, lodging, or other facilities, as well as amounts taken for court-imposed fees, cannot be included in the wage paid to an incarcerated worker (Section 2, subsection (m)(1)).
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Clarification of Employment Status: The bill establishes that incarcerated workers are considered employees of the public agency operating the facility or a private entity operating through a contract with a public agency (Section 2, subsection (z)(1)).
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Broad Definition of Work: The bill defines "incarcerated worker" to include those performing various types of work, such as prison work programs, work release programs, UNICOR, State prison industries, public works, and facility maintenance (Section 2, subsection (z)(1)).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
- No negative impacts or burdens are explicitly stated in the provided text.
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? — This may disproportionately benefit African American incarcerated populations who are more represented in the justice system. Would households on low incomes be better off under this? — The bill protects the income of incarcerated workers, which disproportionately impacts low-income families. Would business owners be better off under this? — The bill may impose new wage-related costs on private entities operating correctional facilities.
- Economy And Finance
- Does this raise the lowest wage an employer may pay? — The bill ensures incarcerated workers receive their full wage by preventing deductions for board, lodging, or court fees from counting toward minimum wage requirements.
- Social Issues And Justice
- Is this likely to lift people out of poverty? — By protecting wages from deductions, the bill helps increase the actual take-home pay for incarcerated individuals.
- Governance And Ideology
- Does this give the federal government more power? — The bill expands the scope of the federal Fair Labor Standards Act to cover incarcerated workers.
- 9/15/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 5/21/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 3/19/2026
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
- Introduced in Senate
One bill Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.
Andy KimDemocrat · New Jersey
Christopher MurphyDemocrat · Connecticut