The Don't STEAL Act strengthens federal protections against wage theft by amending the Fair Labor Standards Act to increase criminal penalties for employers who unlawfully withhold wages or overtime pay from workers. Under the bill, employers who willfully violate wage and hour laws face up to five years in prison and significant fines if the unpaid wages exceed $1,000, or up to one year in prison and fines for violations involving $1,000 or less, with penalties determined by factors including the number of affected employees and the employer's history of violations. The legislation applies to all workers engaged in interstate commerce or employed by businesses involved in commerce. Fines collected from wage theft convictions would be directed to the Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division to fund enforcement of wage and hour laws. The bill takes effect 90 days after enactment.
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