Ranking Member Scott Releases New Report on the Ineffectiveness of Current Labor Penalties

04.30.24

Ranking Member Scott Releases New Report on the Ineffectiveness of Current Labor Penalties

Report highlights how employers that break the law pay too little for endangering workers' and children's lives and livelihoods.

WASHINGTON - Today, Ranking Member Robert C. "Bobby" Scott (VA-03) released anew report-"A Slap on the Wrist: How It Pays for Unscrupulous Employers to Take Advantage of Workers." The report outlines how children, workers, and families suffer when civil monetary penalties for labor and employment violations are too weak or nonexistent to prevent dishonest employers from violating the rights and protections.

Penalties for killing a worker, illegally employing a child, stealing workers' hard-earned pay, firing workers for union activity, or imposing discriminatory barriers on workers' behavioral health care pale in comparison to other laws and, for some, amounts to the "cost of doing business." This must be addressed. The proper balance must be restored so workers are sufficiently protected, and labor laws successfully hold unscrupulous employers accountable and deter them from future violations of workers' rights.

"Congress must act to responsibly raise civil monetary penalties for labor violations. Worker rights and protections are not mere suggestions. To ensure workers and children are protected, the cost of violating the law should not amount to a slap on the wrist," the report states.

Next month, Committee Democrats will introduce a new bill to increase civil monetary penalties when employers violate labor and employment laws and protections.

To read the full report, click here.

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