This bill would change the Fair Labor Standards Act to stop wages from being taken from an employee to pay medical debt. It would bar courts and state agencies from ordering or enforcing any wage garnishment for medical bills. The bill defines "garnishment" as any legal or equitable way wages are withheld to pay medical debt, and "medical debt" as debt from items or services provided by health care facilities or providers. The bill also repeals section 10 of the Fair Labor Standards Act. The law would take effect six months after it is signed.
If the bill becomes law, employers, courts, and state agencies could not withhold an employee's pay to satisfy medical debts. Creditors and courts would be prohibited from using wage garnishment as a way to collect medical bills. The bill text does not describe other collection methods or how existing cases would be handled.
No publicly available information.
The bill was introduced by Representatives Robert Scott, Ilhan Omar, and Greg Casar. The bill text and title indicate the purpose is to protect workers by preventing wage garnishment for medical debt.
No publicly available information.