A Democratic bill with 12 Democratic cosponsors · See all 13 cosponsors
Last activity — Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. (Sponsor introductory remarks on measure: CR S4519-4520)
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 "Fairness for Farm Workers Act" amends the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 to increase protections for agricultural workers. It establishes a phased-in overtime pay requirement, where workers must be paid one and one-half times their regular rate after a certain number of hours per week. This threshold gradually decreases from 55 hours in 2027 to 40 hours by 2030 for larger employers, with a delayed schedule for employers with 25 or fewer employees. The bill also removes several exemptions for agricultural work.
Yes· 3 of 8
- Scored +8
Would households on low incomes be better off under this?
Significantly increases earning potential for agricultural workers through overtime pay.
- Scored +7
Would Hispanic Americans be better off under this?
Strongly benefits this group as they make up a large portion of the agricultural workforce.
- Scored +6
Would immigrants be better off under this?
Many immigrant workers in agriculture will benefit from expanded labor protections.
The opposite· 3 of 4
- Scored -6
Would farmers be better off under this?
Increases payroll expenses for farmers.
- Scored -5
Would business owners be better off under this?
Increases operational costs for farm owners due to new overtime requirements.
- Scored -3
Does this make it easier to run a small business?
Increases labor costs for small agricultural employers through mandated overtime pay.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
-
Increased Pay for Extra Work: Agricultural workers will receive overtime pay at a rate of at least one and one-half times their regular rate for work exceeding specific weekly hour limits. (Section 2(a)(1))
-
Expanded Labor Protections: The bill removes certain exemptions for agricultural work and repeals specific subsections of the Fair Labor Standards Act, which increases the scope of labor law protections for these workers. (Section 2(b))
Potential Negative Impacts for People
- Delayed Protections for Small Business Employees: Workers for employers with 25 or fewer employees will not see the overtime requirements begin until January 1, 2030, and will not reach the 40-hour threshold until January 1, 2033. (Section 2(a)(1)(C))
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 households on low incomes be better off under this? — Significantly increases earning potential for agricultural workers through overtime pay. Would Hispanic Americans be better off under this? — Strongly benefits this group as they make up a large portion of the agricultural workforce. Would immigrants be better off under this? — Many immigrant workers in agriculture will benefit from expanded labor protections. Would people in rural areas be better off under this? — Increases wages for a significant portion of the rural working population. Would Black Americans be better off under this? — Benefits agricultural workers who may include members of this group. Would farmers be better off under this? — Increases payroll expenses for farmers. Would business owners be better off under this? — Increases operational costs for farm owners due to new overtime requirements.
- Social Issues And Justice
- Is this likely to lift people out of poverty? — Increases income for low-wage agricultural workers through overtime pay. Does this narrow racial gaps in how people are treated? — Provides labor protections to a workforce that disproportionately includes marginalized racial groups.
- Economy And Finance
- Does this make it easier to run a small business? — Increases labor costs for small agricultural employers through mandated overtime pay.
- Governance And Ideology
- Does this give the federal government more power? — Expands federal oversight of labor standards in the agricultural sector. Does this leave more decisions to the states? — Reduces state-level autonomy over agricultural labor exemptions.
- 8/6/2026
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. (Sponsor introductory remarks on measure: CR S4519-4520)
- 13 Cosponsors added.
- 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.
Angela AlsobrooksDemocrat · Maryland
Richard BlumenthalDemocrat · Connecticut
Cory BookerDemocrat · New Jersey
Catherine Cortez MastoDemocrat · Nevada
Ruben GallegoDemocrat · Arizona
Ben LujánDemocrat · New Mexico
Edward MarkeyDemocrat · Massachusetts
Jacky RosenDemocrat · Nevada
Bernie SandersIndependent · Vermont
Adam SchiffDemocrat · California
Chris Van HollenDemocrat · Maryland
Ron WydenDemocrat · Oregon
Elizabeth WarrenDemocrat · Massachusetts