Fair Wages for Incarcerated Workers Act of 2026

S. 4143, the Fair Wages for Incarcerated Workers Act, is currently under consideration in the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. If enacted, the bill would establish significant labor protections for incarcerated workers in correctional facilities across the United States.

The legislation would require that incarcerated workers receive at least the federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour for their labor. Currently, incarcerated workers often earn as little as a few cents per hour or receive no wages at all, despite performing essential work in correctional facilities. The bill would also eliminate certain wage deductions, preventing facilities from automatically deducting costs for board, lodging, and court-imposed fees from workers' pay. Additionally, the bill would extend protections guaranteed by the Fair Labor Standards Act to incarcerated workers, providing them with basic labor protections similar to those available to other American workers.

Proponents argue the bill would help incarcerated individuals meet financial obligations, support their families, and better prepare for reentry into society after release. They contend that fair compensation could reduce recidivism by giving formerly incarcerated people resources to avoid returning to crime. The bill has been endorsed by various civil rights and criminal justice reform organizations.