Bill would extend Fair Labor Standards Act to prison workers
In committeeH.R. 8002Latest action
Sponsor: Emanuel Cleaver · Representative · MO
AIDecoded by AI · checked against the recordRead the official text
Official title: Fair Wages for Incarcerated Workers Act of 2026
119th Congress
Topics: Jobs & the economy
Introduced:
Read the official bill on Congress.govIn plain words
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HR 8002 would require prisons and jails to pay incarcerated workers at least the federal minimum wage under the same law that covers other U.S. workers.
45-second read · 4 questions answered below
What does this do?
This bill would extend Fair Labor Standards Act protections to people who work while incarcerated, requiring they be paid at least the federal minimum wage. Facilities would not be allowed to count housing or meals as wages, and could not use certain court-imposed fee deductions to reduce a worker's counted earnings.
Who does it affect?
The bill would affect the roughly 800,000 to 1 million incarcerated people in the United States who currently perform work through prison programs. It would also apply to federal and state correctional agencies and private prison companies that run work programs.
Why does it matter?
Right now, incarcerated workers are excluded from federal wage law, so facilities can legally pay them very little, sometimes just cents per hour. This bill would change that by making the same federal minimum wage rules apply to this group of workers.
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Where does it stand?
- IntroducedMar 19, 2026
- House committeeYou are here · Mar 19, 2026
- House vote
- Senate
- The president's desk
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: — Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.