An Act amending the act of July 14, 1961 (P.L.637, No.329), known as the Wage Payment and Collection Law, further providing for definitions; providing for duty of department to report and for investigations; further providing for civil remedies and penalties, for liquidated damages and for criminal penalties; providing for employer liability; and establishing the Wage Enforcement Fund.

HB 718 amends Pennsylvania's Wage Payment and Collection Law to strengthen wage enforcement, directly affecting employers (including state/local governments, corporations, and contractors) and workers owed unpaid wages. It requires the Department of Labor to collect quarterly data on wage violations, fines, unpaid wages, and complaint resolution, then submit semiannual reports to lawmakers and post them publicly. The bill mandates quarterly investigations of "high-violation industries" (those with 25+ violations in two years) and updates penalties to $2,000 per violation or triple unpaid wages, whichever is greater, plus attorney fees. Employers failing to pay within 10 days of notice face these penalties, with each week of underpayment counted as a separate violation.