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H.R. 1319119th CongressPlaced on the calendarLatest action Feb 20, 2026Decoded by AI · checked against the record
The plain-language version leads. The official text is always the reference.
The Modern Worker Empowerment Act would loosen the federal test for who counts as an employee versus an independent contractor.
40-second read · 4 questions answered below
This bill would change how the federal government determines whether a worker is an "employee" or an "independent contractor" under wage-and-hour law and union law. A worker could be classified as a contractor if the company doesn't control the specific details of the work and the worker has some business judgment or entrepreneurial risk. Common requirements like safety rules, insurance, deadlines, or legal compliance could not be used as evidence of employee status.
This would primarily affect gig workers, freelancers, delivery and rideshare drivers, and companies like app-based platforms and staffing agencies that rely on independent contractors.
Businesses using contractors would likely find it easier to classify workers as contractors rather than employees, which affects access to minimum wage, overtime pay, and unionizing protections.
AI-drafted summary. Verify it against the official text before you act on it. Read the official bill on Congress.gov
Right now: it was placed on the House floor calendar, and the official record shows no floor action on it since. If the Senate changes it, it goes back to the House before reaching the President.
Latest action: — Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 431.