Don’t STEAL Act
- Bill Number
- H.R. 5048
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 1
- Policy Area
- Labor and Employment
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2025-08-26: Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.
- Last Updated
- 2026-04-22T08:07:36Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose
The legislation amends the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 to establish a right to full compensation for certain employees and to increase criminal and civil penalties for violations involving unpaid wages, with the aim of addressing wage theft.
Key Provisions
- Right to full compensation: Adds a new Section 8 requiring employers to pay employees (engaged in commerce or related activities) at least the rate specified in any contract, collective bargaining agreement, or applicable federal or state law.
- Criminal penalties: For willful violations of wage-related sections (including the new Section 8), imposes fines under title 18 of the U.S. Code and imprisonment of up to 5 years if unpaid wages exceed $1,000, or up to 1 year if $1,000 or less. Factors for determining fines include the violation's gravity, prior convictions, and business size.
- Civil penalties and enforcement: Updates references to include the new Section 8 in civil remedies and directs fines collected under the new criminal provisions to the Wage and Hour Division of the Department of Labor for enforcement costs.
- Repeal and conforming changes: Repeals Section 10 of the Act and updates prohibited acts to cover the new Section 8.
- Effective date: Applies to violations occurring 90 days after enactment.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
- Introduces a new statutory right to compensation beyond existing minimum wage and overtime rules, extending to contractual rates.
- Escalates criminal penalties from the prior general misdemeanor structure to specific felony-level sanctions with imprisonment for wage violations.
- Allocates collected fines directly to the enforcing agency, altering the prior funding approach.
- Repeals an existing section of the Act without replacement in the provided text.
Potential Impacts
- Government agencies: Provides additional funding to the Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division for enforcement activities related to wage and overtime rules.
- Citizens: Offers enhanced protections for workers against unpaid wages through stronger deterrents, potentially reducing instances of wage theft for employees in commerce-related roles.
- International relations: No direct effects identified in the legislation.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Employees engaged in interstate commerce or employed by enterprises involved in such activities.
- Employers subject to the Fair Labor Standards Act.
- The Department of Labor, particularly its Wage and Hour Division responsible for enforcement and fund allocation.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Establishes new criminal liability with imprisonment for wage-related violations, shifting from primarily civil remedies to include felony penalties.
- Ties penalty severity to the amount of unpaid wages and considers business size, which may affect how the law applies across different employers.
- The bill's short title emphasizes a focus on preventing the taking of workers' earnings, reflecting a policy emphasis on wage enforcement.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Cosponsors (24)
Rep. Evans, Dwight [D-PA-3], Rep. Pocan, Mark [D-WI-2], Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large], Rep. Dingell, Debbie [D-MI-6], Rep. Stansbury, Melanie A. [D-NM-1], Rep. Boyle, Brendan F. [D-PA-2], Rep. Carson, André [D-IN-7], Rep. Goldman, Daniel S. [D-NY-10], Rep. Chu, Judy [D-CA-28], Rep. Perez, Marie Gluesenkamp [D-WA-3], Rep. Norcross, Donald [D-NJ-1], Rep. Jackson, Jonathan L. [D-IL-1], Rep. Balint, Becca [D-VT-At Large], Rep. Sykes, Emilia Strong [D-OH-13], Rep. Khanna, Ro [D-CA-17], Rep. Tlaib, Rashida [D-MI-12], Rep. Tokuda, Jill N. [D-HI-2], Rep. Ocasio-Cortez, Alexandria [D-NY-14], Rep. Cherfilus-McCormick, Sheila [D-FL-20], Rep. Watson Coleman, Bonnie [D-NJ-12], Rep. Schakowsky, Janice D. [D-IL-9], Rep. Hayes, Jahana [D-CT-5], Rep. Latimer, George [D-NY-16], Rep. Larson, John B. [D-CT-1]
Recent Actions
- 2025-08-26: Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.
- 2025-08-26: Introduced in House
- 2025-08-26: Introduced in House
Bill Versions
- Don’t Stand for Taking Employed Americans’ Livings Act — issued 2025-08-26 — PDF (5 pages)