Living Wage For All Act
- Bill Number
- H.R. 8555
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 2
- Policy Area
- Labor and Employment
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2026-04-28: Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.
- Last Updated
- 2026-06-30T08:05:53Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose
The Living Wage For All Act aims to raise the federal minimum wage to a living wage level aligned with two-thirds of the national median hourly wage (using Bureau of Labor Statistics data). It requires large, highly profitable corporations to increase wages first, phases out all subminimum wages (e.g., for tipped workers, youth, disabled workers), and indexes the minimum wage to the median wage for ongoing adjustments.
Key Provisions
- Employer Categories:
- Large employers ($1 billion+ annual revenue or 500+ employees): Minimum wage rises to $25/hour by January 1, 2031.
- Other employers: Minimum wage rises more gradually to $25/hour by January 1, 2038.
- Phase-in Schedules (starting January 1, 2026):
| Year | Large Employers | Other Employers | |------|-----------------|-----------------| | 2026 | $12.00 | $12.00 | | 2027 | $15.00 | $14.00 | | 2028 | $18.00 | $16.00 | | 2029 | $20.00 | $18.00 | | 2030 | $22.50 | $20.00 | | 2031 | $25.00 | $20.60 | | ... | ... | (continues to $25 by 2038) |
- Median Wage Indexing: Wages cannot exceed two-thirds of the national median; post-phase-in, adjusts annually to maintain this ratio. Uses BLS data and CBO projections during transition.
- Subminimum Wage Phase-outs:
- Tipped workers: Cash wage rises to full minimum wage over 5+ years; employees keep all tips; tip credit ends.
- Youth (<20 years): Training wage rises to full minimum over time; provision repealed.
- Workers with disabilities: Special certificates phase to full minimum; no new certificates; transition aid provided; authority sunsets.
- Incarcerated workers: Defined as employees under FLSA; excludes room/board and court fees from wage calculations.
- Notices: Department of Labor publishes wage increases 60-90 days in advance.
- Effective Date: January 1 following enactment (except specified provisions).
Significant Changes to Existing Law
- Amends the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA, 1938):
- Replaces static $7.25/hour minimum with tiered, indexed schedule.
- Eliminates permanent subminimum wages for tipped, youth, and disabled workers.
- Brings incarcerated workers under FLSA protections for the first time.
- Prohibits employers from taking/sharing tips; strengthens penalties for violations.
- Bans new special wage certificates for disabled workers; sunsets all eventually.
Potential Impacts
- Citizens/Workers: Higher earnings for ~30-40 million low-wage workers (based on findings); reduced need for public assistance; improved economic security.
- Employers: Increased labor costs, especially for large firms (lead transition); smaller businesses get more time; potential business adjustments or automation.
- Government Agencies: Department of Labor gains enforcement duties (data publication, assistance); possible reduced welfare spending; Congressional Budget Office involved in projections.
- No direct international relations impact noted.
Main Stakeholders
- Low-wage workers (primary beneficiaries, including tipped, youth, disabled, incarcerated).
- Large corporations (e.g., high-revenue firms; must pay first/highest).
- Small/medium employers (slower phase-in).
- Department of Labor (administration, enforcement, notices).
- States/correctional facilities (incarcerated worker wages).
- Unions/advocacy groups for workers with disabilities (transition support).
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal: Expands FLSA coverage (e.g., incarcerated workers as "employees"); increases penalties for tip misuse; relies on executive (DOL) discretion for data/projections, potentially inviting challenges on implementation.
- Constitutional: Ties to Congress's commerce power (wage regulation); no explicit challenges noted, but phase-outs could raise due process questions for existing certificates.
- Political: Progressive shift toward wage indexing; findings cite economic growth benefits, but could spark debates on inflation, job losses, or federal overreach into business.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Rep. Ramirez, Delia C. [D-IL-3]
Cosponsors (30)
Rep. García, Jesús G. "Chuy" [D-IL-4], Rep. Mejia, Analilia [D-NJ-11], Rep. Simon, Lateefah [D-CA-12], Rep. Thanedar, Shri [D-MI-13], Rep. Watson Coleman, Bonnie [D-NJ-12], Rep. Tlaib, Rashida [D-MI-12], Rep. Goldman, Daniel S. [D-NY-10], Rep. Ansari, Yassamin [D-AZ-3], Rep. Grijalva, Adelita S. [D-AZ-7], Rep. Velázquez, Nydia M. [D-NY-7], Rep. Casar, Greg [D-TX-35], Rep. Wilson, Frederica S. [D-FL-24], Rep. Khanna, Ro [D-CA-17], Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large], Rep. Jackson, Jonathan L. [D-IL-1], Rep. Espaillat, Adriano [D-NY-13], Rep. Tokuda, Jill N. [D-HI-2], Rep. Stansbury, Melanie A. [D-NM-1], Rep. Jayapal, Pramila [D-WA-7], Rep. Norcross, Donald [D-NJ-1], Rep. Menefee, Christian D. [D-TX-18], Rep. Davis, Danny K. [D-IL-7], Rep. Lieu, Ted [D-CA-36], Rep. McIver, LaMonica [D-NJ-10], Rep. Thompson, Bennie G. [D-MS-2], Rep. Deluzio, Christopher R. [D-PA-17], Rep. Randall, Emily [D-WA-6], Rep. Lee, Summer L. [D-PA-12], Rep. Pocan, Mark [D-WI-2], Rep. Johnson, Henry C. "Hank" [D-GA-4]
Recent Actions
- 2026-04-28: Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.
- 2026-04-28: Introduced in House
- 2026-04-28: Introduced in House
Bill Versions
- Living Wage For All Act — issued 2026-04-28 — PDF (20 pages)