Patty Murray (D-WA)
Wage Theft Prevention and Wage Recovery Act
A Democratic bill with 25 Democratic cosponsors · See all 26 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 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. This bill seeks to prevent wage theft and help workers recover unpaid earnings through stricter penalties and better enforcement. It requires employers to provide specific disclosures, regular paystubs, and timely final payments. The legislation also increases civil and criminal penalties for violations. Additionally, it authorizes the Secretary of Labor to administer grants to support community partnerships and enforcement efforts.
Yes· 3 of 13
- Scored +7
Would households on low incomes be better off under this?
The bill specifically protects low-wage workers who are at the highest risk of wage theft.
- Scored +7
Would Black Americans be better off under this?
The bill addresses wage theft which the text notes disproportionately affects African Americans.
- Scored +6
Would immigrants be better off under this?
The bill provides enhanced legal protections and recovery tools for foreign-born workers.
The opposite
- Scored -6
Would business owners be better off under this?
Employers face substantially increased civil fines, criminal penalties, and strict administrative requirements.
- Scored -4
Does this make it easier to run a small business?
The bill imposes significant new administrative obligations and high financial penalties on employers.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Improved Transparency for Workers: Employers must provide initial disclosures regarding pay rates and classification, as well as regular paystubs containing detailed information, which helps workers understand their compensation (Section 101).
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Timely Receipt of Final Pay: The bill requires employers to provide final payments, including all compensation and benefits, within 14 days of termination or on the next regular payday, whichever is earlier (Section 101).
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Enhanced Recovery of Wages: The Act increases liquidated damages to twice or three times the amount of unpaid wages and includes interest to help workers recover what they are owed (Section 103).
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Better Legal Tools for Employees: The bill increases the statute of limitations for filing claims and allows the running of such periods to be suspended while a Department of Labor investigation is active (Section 201).
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Stronger Enforcement through Partnerships: The Secretary of Labor can provide grants to help community-based organizations educate workers on their rights and assist them in filing claims (Section 302).
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Increased Accountability for Employers: By increasing civil fines and criminal penalties, the bill aims to deter employers from engaging in repeated or willful wage theft (Section 103).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
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Increased Employer Obligations: Employers are now required to provide specific written or digital disclosures and detailed paystubs, which includes providing information in an employee's primary language (Section 101).
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Higher Financial Penalties for Employers: Employers face significant civil fines for violations, which can reach up to $250,150 per employee for repeated or willful violations (Section 103).
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Increased Criminal Liability: The bill expands criminal penalties, allowing for fines up to $100,000 per employee affected, and requires the Secretary to refer certain offenders to the Department of Justice (Section 103).
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New Requirements for Final Payments: Employers must ensure all compensation and benefits are paid out within a strict 14-day window following an employee's termination (Section 101).
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 addresses wage theft which the text notes disproportionately affects African Americans. Would households on low incomes be better off under this? — The bill specifically protects low-wage workers who are at the highest risk of wage theft. Would immigrants be better off under this? — The bill provides enhanced legal protections and recovery tools for foreign-born workers. Would Hispanic Americans be better off under this? — The bill includes provisions to provide required disclosures in an employee's primary language, benefiting many Hispanic workers. Would women be better off under this? — The bill combats wage theft which is noted to disproportionately affect women. Would union members be better off under this? — The bill strengthens the ability of workers to unite and pursue collective legal actions for unpaid wages. Would middle-income households be better off under this? — The bill ensures that employees receive the full compensation they have earned through their employment agreements. Would business owners be better off under this? — Employers face substantially increased civil fines, criminal penalties, and strict administrative requirements.
- Social Issues And Justice
- Does this narrow racial gaps in how people are treated? — The bill targets wage theft which disproportionately affects African American workers according to the findings. Is this likely to lift people out of poverty? — By ensuring workers receive their full earned wages, the bill helps lift families out of financial instability. Does this make it easier for immigrants already here to become citizens? — The bill provides better protections and legal tools for immigrant workers who are frequently victims of wage theft.
- Governance And Ideology
- Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see? — The bill requires employers to provide detailed paystubs and disclosures to workers.
- Economy And Finance
- Does this raise the lowest wage an employer may pay? — The bill strengthens enforcement and penalties related to minimum wage violations to ensure workers receive legal pay. Is this likely to grow the economy? — By reducing wage theft, the bill aims to increase consumer spending power and support local economies. Does this make it easier to run a small business? — The bill imposes significant new administrative obligations and high financial penalties on employers.
- 9/28/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 6/24/2026
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
- 25 Cosponsors added.
- Introduced in Senate
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.
Angela AlsobrooksDemocrat · Maryland
Tammy BaldwinDemocrat · Wisconsin
Richard BlumenthalDemocrat · Connecticut
Cory BookerDemocrat · New Jersey
Maria CantwellDemocrat · Washington
Richard DurbinDemocrat · Illinois
Tammy DuckworthDemocrat · Illinois
John FettermanDemocrat · Pennsylvania
John HickenlooperDemocrat · Colorado
Mazie HironoDemocrat · Hawaii
Amy KlobucharDemocrat · Minnesota
Timothy KaineDemocrat · Virginia
Edward MarkeyDemocrat · Massachusetts
Christopher MurphyDemocrat · Connecticut
Jeff MerkleyDemocrat · Oregon
Alex PadillaDemocrat · California
Gary PetersDemocrat · Michigan
John ReedDemocrat · Rhode Island
Bernie SandersIndependent · Vermont
Adam SchiffDemocrat · California
Brian SchatzDemocrat · Hawaii
Tina SmithDemocrat · Minnesota
Chris Van HollenDemocrat · Maryland
Ron WydenDemocrat · Oregon
Sheldon WhitehouseDemocrat · Rhode Island
Elizabeth WarrenDemocrat · Massachusetts