LET’S Protect Workers Act

Child Labor Protections: The bill increases penalties for child labor violations to as much as $150,000 per employee, or up to $700,000 if the violation causes death or serious injury to a minor (Section 2(a)).

Wage and Hour Enforcement: Penalties for certain wage and hour violations are increased to as much as $25,000, or $50,000 for repeated or willful violations (Section 2(b)).

Workplace Safety: There are significant increases to civil penalties under the Occupational Safety and Health Act (Section 2(c)).

Agricultural Protections: Penalties for violations of the Migrant and Seasonal Agricultural Worker Protection Act are increased from $1,000 to $30,000 (Section 2(d)).

Mine Safety: The bill increases penalties for mine safety violations and establishes a mechanism for "withdrawal orders" to stop operations if unpaid penalties are not settled (Section 2(e)).

Family and Medical Leave: Employers may face civil penalties of up to $25,000 for interfering with rights under the Family and Medical Leave Act (Section 2(f)).

Health Plan Parity: The bill expands the ability for the Secretary to collect civil penalties related to parity in mental health and substance use disorder benefits (Section 3(a)).

Labor Democracy: Employers committing unfair labor practices may face penalties up to $50,000, which can double to $100,000 for repeated violations or those resulting in discharge (Section 4(b)).

Increased Financial Burden on Employers: Employers across various sectors, including mining, agriculture, and general labor, will face substantially higher civil penalties for violations (Sections 2(c), 2(d), and 2(e)).

Operational Interruptions in Mining: Mine operators who fail to pay assessed penalties or enter into a payment plan may be subject to a "withdrawal order," which prohibits persons from entering the mine (Section 2(e)(2)(B)).

Personal Liability for Leadership: Directors or officers of an employer may be held personally liable for civil penalties if they directed, committed, or had knowledge of unfair labor practices (Section 4(d)).

Extended Violation Duration: For certain recordkeeping violations, the violation is considered to be continuing until the employer complies or the requirement expires, which may affect how penalties are assessed (Section 5(a) and 5(b)).