Labor & Employment

in committee · United States · House Feb 13, 2026

HR 7577: TIP Improvement Act of 2026

HR 7577, the TIP Improvement Act of 2026, raises the minimum wage for tipped employees to the standard federal minimum wage (not the lower tipped wage) and requires employers to retain all tips for employees, allowing only permitted tip pooling. It also updates tax rules by doubling the qualified tip deduction limit for joint returns ($50,000), adding safeguards against fraud (like requiring tips be paid to unrelated individuals without business ownership ties), and including automatic gratuities in hospitality, food service, and cosmetology professions as deductible tips. The bill directly affects tipped workers in these industries by improving their pay security and tax benefits. Key provisions take effect for tax years beginning after December 31, 2025.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesDoubles qualified tip deduction limit for joint returns ($50k), providing tax relief for service workers and middle-income taxpayers via expanded deductions.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentRaises tipped minimum wage to standard rate, mandates tip retention, and prevents employer tip theft - directly strengthens worker compensation and rights.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Labor Standards Minimum Wage

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in committee · United States · House Feb 12, 2026

HR 7541: U.S. Farmworker Protection Act

HR 7541, the U.S. Farmworker Protection Act, sets a 400,000 annual cap on H-2A visa positions for temporary agricultural workers, with exceptions for jobs covered by union collective bargaining agreements. This directly affects agricultural employers seeking H-2A workers and U.S. farmworkers who may face wage or job competition from the program. The key mechanism limits total certified H-2A positions per fiscal year (excluding union-represented roles), addressing concerns about the program's rapid growth - from 82,099 jobs in 2008 to 384,865 in 2024 - potentially impacting U.S. farmworker wages and conditions. The bill does not change existing H-2A rules but adds this numerical restriction to Congress's stated policy concerns.

Topics ✗ ImmigrationOpposes ImmigrationCaps H-2A visas at 400,000 annually, restricting access for temporary agricultural workers, directly limiting immigrant employment opportunities.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentCaps H-2A visas to reduce competition for U.S. farmworkers, protecting wages/jobs; exception for union bargaining supports labor rights.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Child Labor Collective Bargaining Labor Standards

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in committee · United States · House Nov 25, 2025

HR 6312: Tri-Share Child Care Pilot Act of 2025

The Tri-Share Child Care Pilot Act of 2025 would establish a 3-year federal pilot program to test shared-cost child care assistance across three parties. It would require states to create programs where eligible parents (with children meeting income limits and age requirements), participating employers, and state lead agencies each pay one-third of qualifying child care costs. The program would be funded with $250 million annually, with states applying for grants to administer the initiative and verify eligibility through employer-parent agreements. The pilot aims to improve child care affordability and access for working families while requiring states to evaluate its impact on employment and child care availability.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill allocates $250M annually for a child care pilot program, directly funding a public service through government spending. Aligns with 'funds essential programs' under Budget & Taxes.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentProvides shared-cost child care assistance, reducing financial burden on working parents and supporting workforce participation through expanded benefits.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Paid Leave

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in committee · United States · House Nov 19, 2025

HR 6136: PURE Act

HR 6136, the PURE Act, amends the Labor-Management Reporting and Disclosure Act to require secret ballots for union elections where members choose representatives. It removes existing exceptions that allowed non-secret voting for certain union conventions or officer elections by deleting specific language from the law. This change directly affects union members and labor organizations participating in elections for representation or officers. The law takes effect 18 months after enactment, ensuring all such elections use secret ballots as the standard procedure.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentRequires secret ballots for union elections, strengthening workers' ability to freely choose representation without coercion or influence.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Collective Bargaining

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in committee · United States · House Mar 11, 2025

HR 2033: Military Spouse Hiring Act

HR 2033, the Military Spouse Hiring Act, expands the Work Opportunity Tax Credit to include spouses of active-duty military personnel. It adds "qualified military spouse" as an eligible category for the tax credit, meaning employers who hire such spouses can claim the credit. A "qualified military spouse" is defined as someone certified by a local agency as married to an active-duty service member at the time of hire. The credit applies to hires occurring after the bill's enactment date. This directly affects military spouses seeking employment and employers hiring them, providing a tax incentive to encourage their hiring.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesExpands Work Opportunity Tax Credit to include military spouses, providing tax relief to employers through a new credit category.90% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentExpands Work Opportunity Tax Credit to include military spouses, incentivizing employer hiring and creating new employment opportunities for a vulnerable workforce group.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Tax Credits Tax Incentives

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in committee · United States · House Aug 5, 2025

HR 4896: Warehouse Worker Protection Act

The Warehouse Worker Protection Act establishes new requirements for employers in warehouse facilities to protect workers from harmful quotas and workplace surveillance practices. It requires employers to provide written descriptions of quotas and workplace monitoring to workers, prohibits quotas that interfere with breaks, safety compliance, or anti-discrimination rights, and gives workers the right to access their work speed data. The bill creates a Fairness and Transparency Office within the Department of Labor to enforce these requirements and investigate violations, with enforcement also involving the Federal Trade Commission. Employers with more than 200 employees at covered warehouse facilities (including distribution centers, couriers, and warehouses) are directly affected by these new requirements, which include new protections against retaliation for workers who exercise these rights.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentProhibits quotas interfering with breaks/safety, mandates written quota descriptions, and grants workers access to work speed data - directly advancing warehouse worker protections.95% confidence ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyBill mandates transparency in workplace surveillance data and grants workers access to their speed data, aligning with data privacy protections in technology contexts.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Gig Economy Labor Standards Workplace Safety

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in committee · United States · House Jul 16, 2025

HR 4439: Unemployment Insurance Modernization and Recession Readiness Act

HR 4439, the Unemployment Insurance Modernization and Recession Readiness Act, modernizes unemployment insurance by providing full federal funding for extended benefits instead of state funding, increasing the number of weeks available during high unemployment periods, and improving how benefit amounts are calculated. The bill establishes minimum standards for regular unemployment benefits including a 26-week minimum duration, a minimum wage replacement rate of 75%, and a maximum benefit amount based on state average wages. It eliminates waiting weeks before benefits begin, expands eligibility for certain groups including student-workers and victims of violence or harassment, and creates a new jobseeker allowance program with specific eligibility criteria and a weekly payment of $250 (adjusted for inflation). The legislation also includes provisions for dependents' allowances and ensures extended benefits are exempt from sequestration (budget cuts).

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesProvides full federal funding for unemployment benefits instead of state funding, eliminating state budget burdens and ensuring consistent support during recessions.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentIncreases unemployment benefit duration (26 weeks min), wage replacement (75%), and federal funding, expanding worker support during job loss.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Labor Standards Minimum Wage Unemployment

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in committee · United States · House Apr 3, 2025

HR 2647: Safe Workplaces Act

The Safe Workplaces Act requires the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to develop nonmandatory guidance for workplaces to reduce violence threats. Within 4 years of enactment, OSHA must issue this guidance, tailored to specific settings like hospitals, retail stores, schools, and restaurants, based on a study and report completed within 15 months. The guidance will cover practical safety measures such as staff training, security personnel, physical barriers, and environmental improvements (e.g., better lighting or weapon detectors). It directly affects employers and employees across diverse workplaces by providing voluntary strategies to address violence risks. The bill does not create new laws but establishes a process for OSHA to share best practices on preventing workplace violence incidents.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentBill requires OSHA to develop workplace violence safety guidance for specific settings, directly advancing worker safety protections under Labor & Employment policy.92% confidence

Sub-Topics Labor Standards Workplace Safety

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in committee · United States · House Mar 14, 2025

HR 2126: FOCA Act of 2025

The FOCA Act of 2025 prohibits federal agencies from requiring or banning contractors from using union agreements in construction project bids or contracts. It directly affects federal agencies, contractors, and subcontractors working on federally funded or assisted construction projects (like buildings or infrastructure). The law requires bid documents to not favor or penalize contractors based on whether they have union agreements, aiming to promote open competition and prevent discrimination. This changes how agencies structure bids but does not affect union agreements themselves. The bill applies to all new contracts and subcontracts after enactment, with limited exemptions only for public health/safety emergencies or national security.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentPrevents federal agencies from requiring or banning union agreements in construction contracts, supporting collective bargaining rights.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Collective Bargaining

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in committee · United States · Senate Feb 4, 2026

S 3780: Give America a Raise Act

S 3780, the "Give America a Raise Act," would gradually raise the federal minimum wage from $10.00 to $20.00 per hour over four years, then tie future increases to inflation or GDP growth (whichever is higher). It would also phase out the separate lower minimum wage for tipped workers, requiring their base pay to match the standard minimum wage by 2027, while ending the separate $4.25 hourly rate for workers under 20. The bill includes provisions to transition individuals with disabilities out of special wage certificates by 2027 and requires employers to inform workers about retaining all tips. These changes would directly affect millions of low-wage workers across the U.S. in covered industries.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentRaises federal minimum wage to $20/hr, phases out lower tipped/wage rates for workers under 20, directly strengthening wage protections.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Labor Standards Minimum Wage

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