Backgrounder
Ensuring Workers Get PAID Act
*Updated on 3/31/25*
Bill sponsors: S. 3074, Sen. Mike Braun (R-IN)
H.R. 2299, Rep. Glenn Grothman (R-WI)
The Ensuring Workers Get PAID Act would reinstate and permanently establish the Department of Labor’s Payroll Audit Independent Determination (PAID) program. This program enabled employers to self-audit, report, and address potential violations of federal overtime and minimum wage laws. Originally launched as a pilot initiative during the Trump administration, the PAID program was ended in January 2021 by the Biden administration.
The PAID program encouraged employers to audit for potential violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), including those related to overtime pay and minimum wage. Employers could then self-report these violations to the Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division. If they corrected the violations by paying employees back wages owed, they were shielded from litigation and penalties.
In 2020, then-Deputy Secretary of Labor Patrick Pizzella described the program as “a common-sense program that helps employers comply with the law while ensuring workers get the money they’ve earned.” Through the end of Fiscal Year 2019 the PAID program resulted in “more than four times the back wages of traditional full investigations.”
Rep. Glenn Grothman (R-WI), sponsor of the bill in the 119th Congress, highlighted the benefits to both workers and employes. He stated, “The PAID program was an objective success and returned money to workers much faster than traditional methods, benefiting both employees and businesses. By permanently restoring this program, we provide employers with an efficient way to fix mistakes and ensure workers receive their rightful wages without unnecessary litigation or penalties.”
Bill Status: The Ensuring Workers Get PAID Act was previously introduced in the 118th Congress by Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY) and Sen. Mike Braun (R-IN).
Additional Resources
PRESS RELEASE: Grothman Introduces Bill to Protect Workers and Small Businesses from Unnecessary Litigation
March 26, 2025, Braun.Senate.gov
Letter of Support: National Federation of Independent Business
March 25, 2025, www.nfib.com
PRESS RELEASE: Braun and Stefanik Introduce Legislation to Ensure Workers Get Paid
October 26, 2021, Braun.Senate.gov
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