House Democrats Introduce Bill to Prohibit Wage Garnishment for Medical Debt
Three House Democrats, including Representative Robert C. "Bobby" Scott (D-Va.), ranking member of the House Committee on Education and Workforce, have introduced legislation aimed at prohibiting wage garnishment for medical debt nationwide. The "Protecting Workers’ Wages from Medical Debt Act" was co-sponsored by Representative Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) and Representative Greg Casar (D-Texas). The proposed bill seeks to amend the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938, explicitly stating that an employee's wages cannot be garnished for the payment of any medical debt. It would also prevent federal or state courts, officers, or agencies from enforcing orders that violate this prohibition. The legislation defines garnishment as any legal or equitable procedure requiring wage withholding for medical debt and medical debt as debt from healthcare services or facilities. The measure is intended to take effect six months after its enactment. Currently, federal law limits weekly garnishment to 25% of disposable earnings or ...
