Bill · H.R. 2299· House(119-HR-2299)
Ensuring Workers Get PAID Act of 2025
- Introduced
- 3/24/2025
- Last activity
- 3/3/2026 — Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 464.
- Sponsored by
- Glenn Grothman
- Cosponsors
- - 5 - 0
- Introduced
- On Calendar
What this bill would do
This bill establishes the Payroll Audit Independent Determination program within the Department of Labor. It allows employers to voluntarily self-audit and fix unintentional violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act regarding minimum wage and overtime. Employers who find mistakes can submit an application to the Administrator to pay back wages owed to affected workers. The program aims to speed up the process of getting back pay into the hands of employees without the need for lengthy traditional investigations. If an employee accepts a settlement offer and receives full payment, they waive their right to private legal action for those specific violations. The bill also protects workers from retaliation if they choose to accept or decline a settlement offer.
Yes· 3 of 5
Would business owners be better off under this?+6
Employers can resolve wage issues more efficiently through voluntary self-audits.
Does this give the federal government more power?+5
The bill expands the Department of Labor's role in supervising wage settlements.
Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see?+5
The program creates a structured, supervised process for wage recovery and compliance.
The opposite
Would immigrants be better off under this?-2
The bill explicitly excludes certain visa-holding workers from the program's protections.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
-
Faster Back Pay for Workers: Section 2 highlights that self-audits through the pilot program returned back wages to employees much faster than traditional enforcement methods, meaning workers can get money owed to them sooner.
-
Voluntary Correction of Wages: Section 4(a) allows employers to voluntarily fix unpaid minimum wages or overtime compensation owed to employees under the Fair Labor Standards Act, helping to ensure workers actually receive the pay they earned.
-
Worker Retaliation Protections: Section 4(f) updates the Fair Labor Standards Act to explicitly protect employees from retaliation if they decide to either accept or decline a settlement offer under this program.
Potential Negative Impacts for People
-
Waiver of Legal Rights: Section 4(d)(2)(B) states that if an affected employee accepts a settlement offer and receives full payment, they give up their right to pursue a private lawsuit to recover additional unpaid wages, overtime compensation, or liquidated damages for those violations.
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Exclusion of Certain Visa Workers: Section 3(1) excludes employees who are subject to prevailing wage requirements under specific visa programs, such as H-1B, H-2B, or H-2A, from being classified as an affected employee under this program.
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Governance And Ideology
- Improves Government Transparency+5Increases Federal Power+5Improves Due Process+3
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Good For Business Owners+6Good For Low Income Households+5Good For Immigrants-2
- 3/3/2026
- Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Education and Workforce. H. Rept. 119-539.
- Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 464.
- 11/20/2025
- Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held
- Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: 20 - 15.
- 11/19/2025
- 2 Cosponsors added.
- 11/17/2025
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 4/7/2025
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 3/26/2025
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 3/24/2025
- Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.
- Introduced in House
One bill Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.
Randy FineRepublican · Florida
Abraham HamadehRepublican · Arizona
Mark MessmerRepublican · Indiana
Elise StefanikRepublican · New York
Claudia TenneyRepublican · New York