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H.R. 8347119th CongressIn markupLatest action Jul 21, 2026Decoded by AI · checked against the record
The plain-language version leads. The official text is always the reference.
HR 8347 would classify locum tenens healthcare workers as independent contractors under two major federal labor laws.
55-second read · 4 questions answered below
HR 8347 would officially classify temporary healthcare workers known as locum tenens professionals as independent contractors under the Fair Labor Standards Act and the National Labor Relations Act. These are doctors, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and certified nurse anesthetists who fill short-term staffing gaps. To qualify, a worker must have a written contract agreeing to contractor status and must work at any single location for no more than one continuous year.
The bill directly affects temporary healthcare professionals who travel to fill short-term positions, as well as the hospitals, clinics, and healthcare systems that hire them. Patients in rural or underserved communities could see indirect effects depending on how the change influences worker availability.
Classifying these workers as independent contractors means healthcare facilities would not be required to provide the employee protections or benefits mandated by those two federal laws, including minimum wage and overtime rules and the right to organize and bargain collectively. Rural facilities could face different cost and staffing conditions, and affected workers would have fewer legal protections tied to employee status under these specific laws.
AI-drafted summary. Verify it against the official text before you act on it. Read the official bill on Congress.gov
Right now: a House committee is reviewing it. If the Senate changes it, it goes back to the House before reaching the President.
Latest action: — Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: 18 - 15.