Booker’s Legislation Would Ensure Minimum Wage Protections and Reform Prison Labor Practices

Studies and reports have shown that incarcerated workers contribute billions of dollars annually to the U.S. economy while earning as little as a few cents per hour, or even no wages at all . These workers often perform essential and hazardous jobs, including wildfire response, food production, and facility maintenance, yet remain excluded from standard labor protections under federal law.

“It is time to end the exploitative practices in correctional facilities and ensure incarcerated workers are treated with dignity and paid minimum wage for their labor,” said Senator Cory Booker. “Too often, incarcerated people are never able to pay restitution to their victims, or save enough money to ensure a successful reentry, resulting in a never-ending cycle of recidivism. Incarcerated workers contribute meaningful labor that supports our economy and our communities, yet they are denied a fair wage that could help support victims and assist in their reentry. This legislation reflects a principle that all Americans support: if someone is working, they should be paid fairly.”

“Most Americans believe in working hard, being treated fairly, and giving people a second chance. That’s why I’m speaking out in strong support of Senator Cory Booker’s Fair Wages for Incarcerated Workers Act, a bill that reflects our American values by addressing something many people don’t realize is happening right now across the country. Every day, incarcerated people work, some clean and maintain the very facilities they live in, others help fight wildfires, manufacture products, or do jobs that benefit state economies. But despite their labor, many earn less than a dollar an hour. Some earn nothing at all. This isn’t just a policy flaw, it’s a moral issue. Incarcerated people may be serving sentences, but they’re still human beings. If we expect people to work and contribute, we should also give them the opportunity to earn fair pay. That’s how we prepare them to reenter society, support their families, and avoid the cycle of poverty and incarceration. I personally watched incarcerated people who risked their lives battling the massive wildfires in Los Angeles last year. They showed so much bravery and commitment doing the same dangerous work as professional firefighters but they were paid just a few dollars a day. In many cases, they’re banned from even applying for firefighting jobs once they’re released. That’s not just unfair, it’s un-American. The Fair Wages for Incarcerated Workers Act doesn’t just address wages, it reinforces the principle that work should be respected, and that everyone deserves the chance to earn an honest living. It helps people take responsibility and prepare for life after prison, while also supporting victims through restitution and reducing the long-term cost of incarceration to taxpayers. This is not a partisan issue—it’s a human one. No matter where you stand politically, we can all agree: when someone works, they should be paid fairly. And if we want people to return home ready to contribute to society, we need to give them a fair shot. I’m urging lawmakers on both sides and people across the country to support this legislation. The Fair Wages for Incarcerated Workers Act is about justice, accountability, and opportunity. Hard work should always be respected, and everyone deserves the chance to earn an honest living,” said Kim Kardashian.

“For too long, incarcerated workers across our country have labored for pennies an hour while performing essential work that keeps our correctional facilities and communities running,” said Congressman Emmanuel Cleaver. “The Fair Wages for Incarcerated Workers Act is about restoring dignity to work and fairness to a system that has too often taken advantage of those seeking redemption. By guaranteeing the federal minimum wage and extending basic labor protections, we can help incarcerated individuals meet their financial obligations, support their families, and better prepare for successful reentry into society. If we are serious about reducing recidivism and building safer communities, we must ensure that work performed by incarcerated Americans is valued and compensated fairly.”

“Incarcerated workers are workers. They deserve fair pay so they can have the resources they need to succeed upon reentry," said Congresswoman Sydney Kamlager-Dove. "Yet while mega-corporations raise prices and squeeze families, they exploit incarcerated people to produce everyday goods—from cereal to hot dogs—paying just pennies an hour. Because these workers are disproportionately Black and people of color, this practice is a modern-day form of slavery enabled by a loophole in the 13th Amendment. I’m proud to co-lead this bill to right that wrong by ensuring incarcerated workers are paid the federal minimum wage.”

“Thirty years of incarceration at hard labor. I never made more than 16 cents an hour. It would have been easy to come home and never look back… Post incarceration syndrome is real, and our people need support. I still think about my family all those years serving time with me. I think about the families of people who are incarcerated today, all of them directly impacted as well. My goal doing the work I do is to keep our communities safe and thriving. I believe we can create a system that does not simply punish perpetrators but works with them while investing in communities and taking care of victims,” said Terrance Winn, a prison reform advocate and founder of PIPE (Priorities, Intentions, Practical Exchanges. Mr. Winn spent 30 years in the Louisiana State Penitentiary and testified in 2024 at a Judiciary Subcommittee on Criminal Justice Reform and Counterterrorism hearing on prison labor. 

The Fair Wages for Incarcerated Workers Act would:

• Require incarcerated workers to be covered under the federal minimum wage through amendments to the Fair Labor Standards Act.
• Eliminate excessive wage deductions for fees, fines, and basic living costs within correctional facilities.

The Fair Wages for Incarcerated Workers Act is endorsed by: The American Civil Liberties Union, Brennan Center for Justice, Center for Law and Social Policy, Economic Policy Institute, The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, Safer Foundation, Tzedek Association, the Vera Institute of Justice, the National Employment Law Project, and the New Jersey Institute for Social Justice.

U.S. Representatives Emanuel Cleaver (D-MO-05) and Sydney Kamlager-Dove (D-CA-37) reintroduced companion legislation in the House.

To read the full text of the bill, click here.

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