Bill > HR10373

This bill, titled the Protecting Workers' Wages from Medical Debt Act, amends the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938—a federal law that establishes minimum wage, overtime pay, and employment standards—to strictly prohibit the garnishment of workers' wages for the payment of medical debt. Garnishment is a legal procedure where a portion of an employee's earnings is automatically withheld by their employer to pay off a debt. Under this legislation, no federal or state court, and no state government agency, is allowed to issue or enforce any order requiring wage withholding for unpaid medical bills, which are defined as debts resulting from healthcare items and services provided by hospitals, clinics, or other medical professionals. To give employers and the legal system time to adjust, the ban will officially take effect six months after the bill is enacted into law.