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H.R. 7701 117th Congress House

Wage Theft Prevention and Wage Recovery Act of 2022

Official title: To amend the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 and the Portal-to-Portal Act of 1947 to prevent wage theft and assist in the recovery of stolen wages, to authori… Show full official titleShow less

Official title: To amend the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 and the Portal-to-Portal Act of 1947 to prevent wage theft and assist in the recovery of stolen wages, to authorize the Secretary of Labor to administer grants to prevent wage and hour violations, and for other purposes.

Introduced: May 10, 2022 Introduced by: Rosa L. DeLauro Democratic · Connecticut See on congress.gov
Labor and Employment Alternative dispute resolution, mediation, arbitrationCivil actions and liabilityCommunity life and organizationCongressional oversight
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Criminal investigation, prosecution, interrogationEmployment discrimination and employee rightsGovernment studies and investigationsLabor standardsPersonnel recordsWages and earnings
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This bill died when the 117th Congress ended
It never became law before the 117th Congress (2021–2022) adjourned, and bills don't carry over to the next Congress. It would have to be reintroduced. You can still save it for reference, but it won't receive updates.
 Everywhere this bill has been 6 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Oct 7, 2022
Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Education and Labor. H. Rept. 117-540.
Oct 7, 2022
Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 388.
May 18, 2022
Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: 27 - 19.
May 18, 2022
Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
May 10, 2022
Referred to the House Committee on Education and Labor.
May 10, 2022
Introduced in House
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 Latest action October 7, 2022

Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 388.

 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Wage Theft Prevention and Wage Recovery Act of 2022

This bill requires employers to make initial and modified disclosures to employees of the terms of their employment, provide such employees with regular paystubs, and make a final payment to an employee for uncompensated work hours within 14 days of the employee's termination. Employers must also allow employees access to wage records.

An employer must compensate an employee at the rate specified in an employment contract, including a collective bargaining agreement, that specifies a rate of pay higher than the minimum wage rate. The bill makes all of such unpaid wages recoverable through civil enforcement.

The bill establishes new and increased civil and criminal penalties for violations of overtime or minimum wage requirements, including referral to the Department of Justice for criminal prosecution of employers who engage in wage theft, falsification of wage records, or retaliation against employees.

The Wage and Hour Division of the Department of Labor must provide grants to specified organizations, including nonprofits and educational institutions, to support efforts to prevent and reduce violations of wage and hour laws.

 Related & companion bills 2
  • S 4174 Identical bill Wage Theft Prevention and Wage Recovery Act
  • HR 5402 Reintroduced Bill Wage Theft Prevention and Wage Recovery Act
 Bill text 2 versions

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 1
 Cosponsors 44
All 44 Democratic 33
D
Espaillat, Adriano
New York · May 17, 2022
 D
Hayes, Jahana
Connecticut · May 17, 2022
 D
McCollum, Betty
Minnesota · May 11, 2022
 D
Adams, Alma S.
North Carolina · May 10, 2022
 D
Barragán, Nanette Diaz
California · May 10, 2022
Bass, Karen
· May 10, 2022
 D
Bonamici, Suzanne
Oregon · May 10, 2022
Bowman, Jamaal
· May 10, 2022
 D
Carson, André
Indiana · May 10, 2022
Cicilline, David
· May 10, 2022
 D
Davis, Danny K.
Illinois · May 10, 2022
 D
DeSaulnier, Mark
California · May 10, 2022
 D
Evans, Dwight
Pennsylvania · May 10, 2022
 D
Garcia, Sylvia R.
Texas · May 10, 2022
 D
Grijalva, Raúl M.
Arizona · May 10, 2022
 D
Jacobs, Sara
California · May 10, 2022
 D
Jayapal, Pramila
Washington · May 10, 2022
 D
Johnson, Henry C. "Hank"
Georgia · May 10, 2022
Jones, Mondaire
· May 10, 2022
 D
Larson, John B.
Connecticut · May 10, 2022
Lee, Barbara
· May 10, 2022
 D
McGovern, James P.
Massachusetts · May 10, 2022
 D
Meng, Grace
New York · May 10, 2022
 D
Mfume, Kweisi
Maryland · May 10, 2022
 D
Nadler, Jerrold
New York · May 10, 2022
Newman, Marie
· May 10, 2022
 D
Norcross, Donald
New Jersey · May 10, 2022
 D
Norton, Eleanor Holmes
District of Columbia · May 10, 2022
 D
Omar, Ilhan
Minnesota · May 10, 2022
 D
Pocan, Mark
Wisconsin · May 10, 2022
Porter, Katie
· May 10, 2022
 D
Raskin, Jamie
Maryland · May 10, 2022
RUSH, BOBBY
· May 10, 2022
Sablan, Gregorio
· May 10, 2022
 D
Scanlon, Mary Gay
Pennsylvania · May 10, 2022
 D
Schakowsky, Janice D.
Illinois · May 10, 2022
 D
Scott, Robert C. "Bobby"
Virginia · May 10, 2022
 D
Sherrill, Mikie
New Jersey · May 10, 2022
 D
Stevens, Haley M.
Michigan · May 10, 2022
 D
Takano, Mark
California · May 10, 2022
 D
Tlaib, Rashida
Michigan · May 10, 2022
 D
Velázquez, Nydia M.
New York · May 10, 2022
 D
Watson Coleman, Bonnie
New Jersey · May 10, 2022
 D
Wilson, Frederica S.
Florida · May 10, 2022
Cite this page click to expand
APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). H.R. 7701: Wage Theft Prevention and Wage Recovery Act of 2022. 117th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/117-HR-7701/
MLA
"H.R. 7701: Wage Theft Prevention and Wage Recovery Act of 2022." 117th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/117-HR-7701/.
Bluebook (legal)
H.R. 7701, 117th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/117-HR-7701/.
Markdown link
[H.R. 7701: Wage Theft Prevention and Wage Recovery Act of 2022](https://openamerica.io/bill/117-HR-7701/)
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