Bill · S. 5386· Senate(119-S-5386)
Don’t STEAL Act
- Introduced
- 9/14/2026
- Last activity
- 9/14/2026 — Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
- Sponsored by
- Kirsten Gillibrand
- Cosponsors
- None
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
This bill, known as the "Don't STEAL Act," aims to amend the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938. It seeks to increase both criminal and civil penalties for wage theft. The legislation establishes a right to full compensation for employees engaged in commerce. Employers would be required to pay at least the higher rate between their employment agreements and applicable Federal or State laws. It also introduces prison time and fines for willful violations regarding unpaid wages or overtime.
Yes· 3 of 7
Would households on low incomes be better off under this?+5
The bill protects low-income workers from losing wages through stricter penalties for wage theft and overtime violations.
Would union members be better off under this?+5
The bill reinforces the enforcement of collective bargaining agreements by requiring pay at the higher of the contract or legal rate.
Does this strengthen the rights of workers to organise?+4
The bill strengthens worker protections by mandating that employees receive the highest applicable wage rate between contracts and law.
The opposite
Would business owners be better off under this?-6
The bill introduces significant new criminal penalties, including potential prison time, for willful wage and overtime violations.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Guaranteed Compensation Rates: Under Section 2(a), employees are entitled to receive the greater of the rate specified in their employment agreements or the rate required by Federal or State law. This ensures workers are compensated according to whichever standard is higher.
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Increased Accountability for Wage Theft: Section 3(a) introduces criminal penalties, including fines and potential imprisonment of up to 5 years for willful violations involving unpaid wages or overtime exceeding $1,000. This provides a much stricter deterrent against employers who withhold pay.
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Tailored Penalties: Section 3(a)(2)(B) requires that penalties consider the gravity of the violation, the number of employees affected, and the size of the business, which ensures the punishment can reflect the scale of the theft.
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Dedicated Enforcement Funding: Section 3(c) directs that sums collected from criminal fines be applied by the Wage and Hour Division to the costs of enforcing wage laws, which could improve the oversight of these regulations.
Potential Negative Impacts for People
- Criminal Risks for Employers: Section 3(a) establishes that individuals who willfully violate wage requirements could face prison sentences of up to 5 years for amounts greater than $1,000, or up to 1 year for amounts equal to or less than $1,000.
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Good For Low Income Households+5Good For Union Workers+5Good For Middle Class Households+3Good For Urban Residents+1Good For Business Owners-6
- Economy And Finance
- Improves Union Protections+4
- Social Issues And Justice
- Improves Poverty Reduction+3
- Governance And Ideology
- Improves Government Transparency+2
- 9/14/2026
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
- Introduced in Senate
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.