Labor & Employment (Minimum Wage) in United States

in committee · United States · House May 21, 2026

HR 9008: Worker Rights and Support Act

The Worker Rights and Support Act amends the Fair Labor Standards Act to require employers to provide specific break times for employees, directly affecting workers covered under federal wage and hour laws. Under the new rules, employees must receive at least a 30-minute meal break for every six hours worked, along with a 10-minute break or time to use a restroom for every four hours, and up to 20-minute breaks for medical needs. While meal breaks can be unpaid if the employee is fully relieved of work, any break where the employee remains on duty or cannot leave the site must be paid at a rate of at least one and a half times their regular wage. The bill also allows employees to voluntarily waive meal breaks but prohibits employers from forcing them to do so, and it ensures that existing collective bargaining agreements or state laws offering better protections remain in effect.

Topics ✓ Labor & Employment

Sub-Topics Labor Standards Minimum Wage Paid Leave

in committee · United States · Senate Mar 26, 2026

S 4249: FARM Stability Act

The FARM Stability Act proposes changes to wage requirements for H-2A temporary agricultural workers in the United States. It would require the Secretary of Labor to establish a two-tiered wage system based on skill levels, with higher pay for workers who have formal training or significant experience compared to entry-level workers. The bill also mandates that wages account for housing costs by calculating an hourly adjustment factor based on average fair market rent for four-bedroom units, limited to 30 percent of the base wage rate. These provisions would directly affect employers hiring H-2A workers and the workers themselves by modifying how minimum wages are determined and adjusted annually.

Topics ✓ Housing ✓ Labor & Employment

Sub-Topics Renters Labor Standards Minimum Wage Tags Agriculture

in committee · United States · Senate Mar 19, 2026

S 4143: Fair Wages for Incarcerated Workers Act of 2026

This bill would expand the Fair Labor Standards Act to include incarcerated workers, requiring them to receive minimum wage and overtime pay protections. It directly affects individuals working in correctional facilities, whether those facilities are run by public agencies or private contractors. The legislation defines incarcerated workers as people performing work in prisons, including prison industries and work release programs, and clarifies that certain costs like board and lodging or court-imposed fees should not be deducted from their wages. By adding these definitions and protections to the existing law, the bill aims to ensure incarcerated workers are covered under federal labor standards.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice ✓ Labor & Employment

Sub-Topics Corrections Courts Human Trafficking Labor Standards Minimum Wage

in committee · United States · House Mar 12, 2026

HR 7917: Fair Wages for Home Care Workers Act

This bill, known as the Fair Wages for Home Care Workers Act, would change federal labor rules to require overtime pay and minimum wage protections for certain babysitters. It specifically targets casual babysitting work that is irregular or intermittent, while excluding trained medical professionals like nurses and home health aides from these changes. The law would also allow babysitters to perform up to 20% of their work time on unrelated household tasks without losing their protected status. These amendments would apply to workers covered by the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 who provide custodial care for infants or children in private homes.

Topics ✓ Labor & Employment

Sub-Topics Child Labor Labor Standards Minimum Wage

in committee · United States · Senate Mar 12, 2026

S 4081: Fair Wages for Home Care Workers Act

This bill, known as the Fair Wages for Home Care Workers Act, would change federal labor rules to require overtime pay and minimum wage protections for certain babysitters who currently do not receive these benefits. It specifically targets casual babysitting jobs that are irregular or intermittent and not performed by individuals whose primary occupation is babysitting. The law would also clarify that trained medical professionals like nurses and home health aides remain exempt from these new requirements, ensuring the changes apply only to casual domestic caregivers. By amending the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938, the bill aims to extend wage protections to a specific group of home care workers while maintaining existing exemptions for professional medical staff.

Topics ✓ Labor & Employment

Sub-Topics Child Labor Labor Standards Minimum Wage

in committee · United States · Senate Mar 12, 2026

S 4068: ACTION for National Service Act

This bill reorganizes AmeriCorps by converting it from a government corporation into a new executive department called the AmeriCorps Administration. It creates an advisory board with seven members appointed by various officials, including the President and congressional leaders, to guide policy and program oversight. The legislation increases financial benefits for participants, doubling educational awards to twice the average in-state tuition and raising living allowances to 175-210 percent of the federal minimum wage. It also establishes a new National Service Foundation to accept private donations and gifts for the program, and sets a goal of serving one million participants annually by 2036.

Topics ✓ Education ✓ Labor & Employment

Sub-Topics Higher Education Minimum Wage

in committee · United States · House Mar 19, 2026

HR 8023: To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide a credit for increasing wages paid to child care providers.

This bill creates a new tax credit for employers who increase the wages they pay to child care workers. It directly affects businesses that operate eligible child care facilities, which are defined as places serving at least six children and following state regulations. To qualify, an employer must pay higher average hourly wages to child care staff in the current year compared to the previous year, and the credit amount is based on the increase in those wages. The credit is generally 5% of the wage increase, but rises to 7% for facilities located in rural areas. Employers can choose to opt out of the credit if they prefer, and the bill also clarifies how the credit interacts with other tax provisions to prevent double benefits.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Labor & Employment

Sub-Topics Tax Credits Child Labor Minimum Wage Tags Children

in committee · United States · House Jan 16, 2025

HR 482: No Tax on Tips Act

This bill creates a new tax deduction for cash tips received by workers in specific service occupations that traditionally accepted tips before 2024 (like servers, barbers, and beauticians). It allows a deduction of up to $25,000 per year for qualified tips included on employer statements, but excludes employees who earned over a certain threshold ($220,000 in 2023) from the same employer the previous year. The deduction applies to taxable years beginning after December 2024 and is designed to reduce taxable income for eligible workers. It directly affects service industry workers in qualifying tip-dependent jobs who receive cash tips, not the general public.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Labor & Employment

Sub-Topics Business Taxes Income Tax Tax Credits Labor Standards Minimum Wage

in committee · United States · House Sep 30, 2025

HR 5664: Living Wage for Musicians Act of 2025

HR 5664, the Living Wage for Musicians Act of 2025, requires music streaming services to add a $4-$10 fee per subscription (50% of the subscription cost) to fund a new royalty program. This fee is collected from subscribers and deposited into the Artist Compensation Royalty Fund, which then distributes 90% of funds to featured artists based on their share of qualifying streams and 10% to a union fund for non-featured artists like session musicians. The bill directly affects streaming platforms (service providers) and musicians, including those not prominently featured on recordings. It creates a mandatory payment mechanism tied to streaming activity, with funds distributed quarterly after service providers submit required revenue data.

Topics ✓ Labor & Employment

Sub-Topics Collective Bargaining Minimum Wage

in committee · United States · House Nov 25, 2025

HR 6295: The Working for Tips Tax Relief Act of 2025

This bill creates a tax deduction for certain reported cash tips received by workers in occupations that traditionally rely on tips, such as servers and bartenders. It allows a deduction of up to $35,000 per year for tips reported to employers (e.g., via Form 4137), but phases out for individuals earning over $50,000 annually (single) or $100,000 (joint). The deduction requires a Social Security number and applies only to taxable years starting in 2026 through 2028, with a Treasury pilot program to evaluate extending it permanently. It excludes tips from occupations not traditionally tip-based and mandates annual reviews of living wage thresholds.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Labor & Employment

Sub-Topics Income Tax Gig Economy Labor Standards Minimum Wage

All labor & employment bills