Legislation Search

S. 4919: Wage Theft Prevention and Wage Recovery Act

This bill would strengthen enforcement of wage and hour laws, with a focus on helping workers recover unpaid wages and making it harder for employers to hide or delay pay violations.

Wage and Pay Requirements

The bill would require employers to provide more detailed pay information on pay stubs and related wage statements. It would also require final wages to be paid promptly when employment ends. Workers would gain broader access to records needed to check whether they were paid correctly.

Enforcement and Penalties

The bill would increase the consequences for wage theft. It would expand available damages and raise civil fines and criminal penalties for violations. It would also extend the deadlines for workers to file claims, giving them more time to challenge unpaid or underpaid wages.

Limits on Waivers

The bill would bar certain arbitration or waiver agreements that could prevent workers from pursuing wage theft claims through the usual legal process.

Community Grant Program

The bill would create a competitive grant program for community partnerships that help enforce wage and hour laws and educate workers about their rights. These grants would prioritize:

Areas with higher risk of wage theft or labor violations
Programs with a track record of effective enforcement or outreach
Partnerships with clear agreements on responsibilities and reporting

Grants could last up to three years. Groups receiving funding would need to follow formal agreements, submit evaluations, and could lose funding if they do not comply with program requirements.