Bill > S516

This bill, the Fair Wages for Incarcerated Workers Act of 2023, aims to require coverage of incarcerated workers under the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938. The key provisions of the bill include: 1. Amending the definition of "employee" in the Fair Labor Standards Act to include incarcerated workers employed by public agencies operating the correctional facilities where they are incarcerated, as well as incarcerated workers employed by private entities that operate correctional facilities through contracts with public agencies. 2. Clarifying that the cost of board, lodging, or other facilities, and any amount taken from the pay of an incarcerated worker for court-imposed fees, shall not be included in the wage paid to such workers. 3. Defining "incarcerated worker" as an individual incarcerated or detained in a correctional facility operated by a public agency or a private entity under contract with a public agency, who performs work offered or required by the correctional facility. 4. Defining "court-imposed fee" to include various types of fees and costs associated with criminal convictions, but excluding amounts required for child support, crime victim compensation, civil judgments, or criminal fines. The overall purpose of the bill is to extend federal minimum wage protections to incarcerated workers and ensure they are paid fairly for their labor.

Health and Social Services

https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/senate-bill/516/all-info