(2) COMMUNITY
PARTNER.—The term ‘‘com-
munity partner’’ means any stakeholder with a com-
mitment to enforcing wage and hour laws and pre-
venting abuses of such laws, including any— 
(A) State department of labor; 
(B) attorney general of a State, or other 
similar authorized official of a political subdivi-
sion thereof; 
(C) law enforcement agency; 
(D) consulate; 
(E) employee or advocate of employees, in-
cluding a labor organization, community- and 
faith-based organization, business association, 
or nonprofit legal aid organization; 
(F) academic institution that plans, coordi-
nates, and implements programs and activities 
to prevent wage and hour violations and recover 
unpaid wages, damages, and penalties; or 
(G) any municipal agency responsible for 
the enforcement of local wage and hour laws. 
(3) COMMUNITY
PARTNERSHIP.—The term 
‘‘community partnership’’ means a partnership be-
tween— 
(A) a working group consisting of commu-
nity partners; and 
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(B) the Department of Labor. 
(4) ELIGIBLE ENTITY.—The term ‘‘eligible enti-
ty’’ means an entity that is any of the following: 
(A) A nonprofit organization, including 
such an organization that is a community-based 
organization, faith-based organization, or labor 
organization, that provides services and support 
to employees, including assisting such employ-
ees in recovering unpaid wages. 
(B) An employer. 
(C) A business association. 
(D) An institution of higher education, as 
defined by section 101 of the Higher Education 
Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001). 
(E) A partnership between any of the enti-
ties described in subparagraphs (A) through 
(D). 
(5) EMPLOY; 
EMPLOYEE; 
EMPLOYER.—The 
terms ‘‘employ’’, ‘‘employee’’, and ‘‘employer’’ have 
the meanings given such terms in section 3 of the 
Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 (29 U.S.C. 203). 
(6) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 
the Secretary of Labor. 
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(7) STRATEGIC
ENFORCEMENT.—The term 
‘‘strategic enforcement’’ means the process by which 
the Secretary— 
(A) targets highly noncompliant industries, 
as identified by the Secretary, using industry- 
specific structures to influence, and ultimately 
reform, networks of interconnected employers; 
(B) analyzes regulatory regimes under 
which specific industries operate; and 
(C) modifies the enforcement approach of 
such regulatory regimes in order to ensure the 
greatest impact. 
(8) WAGE AND HOUR LAW.—The term ‘‘wage 
and hour law’’ means any Federal law enforced by 
the Wage and Hour Division of the Department of 
Labor, including any provision of this Act enforced 
by such division. 
(9) WAGE AND HOUR VIOLATION.—The term 
‘‘wage and hour violation’’ refers to any violation of 
a Federal law enforced by the Wage and Hour Divi-
sion of the Department of Labor, including any pro-
vision of this Act enforced by such division. 
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SEC. 302. WAGE THEFT PREVENTION AND WAGE RECOVERY 
GRANT PROGRAM. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary, acting through the 
Administrator, shall provide grants to eligible entities to 
assist such entities in enhancing the enforcement of wage 
and hour laws, in accordance with this section and con-
sistent with the purposes of this Act. 
(b) GRANTS.—A grant provided under this section 
shall be designed to— 
(1) support an eligible entity in establishing 
and supporting the activities described in subsection 
(c)(1); and 
(2) develop community partnerships to expand 
and improve cooperative efforts between enforcement 
agencies and members of the community to— 
(A) prevent and reduce wage and hour vio-
lations; and 
(B) assist employees in recovering back 
pay for any such violations. 
(c) USE OF FUNDS.— 
(1) PERMISSIBLE ACTIVITIES.—The grants de-
scribed in this section shall assist eligible entities in 
establishing and supporting activities that include— 
(A) disseminating information and con-
ducting outreach and training to educate em-
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ployees about their rights under wage and hour 
laws; 
(B) conducting educational training for 
employers about their obligations under wage 
and hour laws; 
(C) conducting orientations and trainings 
jointly with officials of the Wage and Hour Di-
vision of the Department of Labor; 
(D) providing assistance to employees in 
filing claims of wage and hour violations; 
(E) assisting enforcement agencies in con-
ducting investigations, including in the collec-
tion of evidence and recovering back pay; 
(F) monitoring compliance with wage and 
hour laws; 
(G) performing joint visitations to work-
sites that violate wage and hour laws with offi-
cials from the Wage and Hour Division of the 
Department of Labor; 
(H) establishing networks for education, 
communication, and participation in the work-
place and community; 
(I) evaluating the effectiveness of pro-
grams designed to prevent wage and hour viola-
tions and enforce wage and hour laws; 
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(J) recruiting and hiring of staff and vol-
unteers; 
(K) production and dissemination of out-
reach and training materials; and 
(L) any other activities as the Secretary 
may reasonably prescribe through notice and 
comment rulemaking. 
(2) PROHIBITED ACTIVITIES.—Notwithstanding 
paragraph (1), an eligible entity receiving a grant 
under this section may not use the grant funds for 
any purpose reasonably prohibited by the Secretary 
through notice and comment rulemaking. 
(d) TERM OF GRANTS.—Each grant made under this 
section shall be available for expenditure for a period that 
is not to exceed 3 years. 
(e) APPLICATIONS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—An eligible entity seeking a 
grant under this section shall submit an application 
for such grant to the Secretary in accordance with 
this subsection. 
(2) PARTNERSHIPS.—In the case of an eligible 
entity that is a partnership described in section 
301(4)(E), the eligible entity may submit a joint ap-
plication that designates a single entity as the lead 
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entity for purposes of receiving and disbursing 
funds. 
(3) CONTENTS.—An application under this sub-
section shall include— 
(A) a description of a plan for the program 
that the eligible entity proposes to carry out 
with a grant under this section, including a 
long-term strategy and detailed implementation 
plan that reflects expected participation of, and 
partnership with, community partners; 
(B) information on the prevalence of wage 
and hour violations in each community or State 
of the eligible entity; 
(C) information on any industry or geo-
graphic area targeted by the plan for such pro-
gram; 
(D) information on the type of outreach 
and relationship building that will be conducted 
under such program; 
(E) information on the training and edu-
cation that will be provided to employees and 
employers under such program; and 
(F) the method by which the eligible entity 
will measure results of such program. 
(f) SELECTION.— 
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(1) COMPETITIVE BASIS.—In accordance with 
this subsection, the Secretary shall, on a competitive 
basis, select grant recipients from among eligible en-
tities that have submitted an application under sub-
section (e). 
(2) PRIORITY.—In selecting grant recipients 
under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall give pri-
ority to eligible entities that— 
(A) serve employees in any industry or ge-
ographic area that is most highly at risk for 
noncompliance with wage and hour violations, 
as identified by the Secretary; and 
(B) demonstrate past and ongoing work to 
prevent wage and hour violations or to recover 
unpaid wages. 
(3) OTHER
CONSIDERATIONS.—In selecting 
grant recipients under paragraph (1), the Secretary 
shall also consider— 
(A) the prevalence of ongoing community 
support for each eligible entity, including finan-
cial and other contributions; and 
(B) the eligible entity’s past and ongoing 
partnerships with other organizations. 
(g) MEMORANDA OF UNDERSTANDING.— 
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(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 60 days after 
receiving a grant under this section, the grant recipi-
ent shall negotiate and finalize with the Secretary a 
memorandum of understanding that sets forth spe-
cific goals, objectives, strategies, and activities that 
will be carried out under the grant by such recipient 
through a community partnership. 
(2) SIGNATURES.—A representative of the 
grant recipient (or, in the case of a grant recipient 
that is an eligible entity described in section 
301(4)(E), a representative of each entity that 
composes the grant recipient) and the Secretary 
shall sign the memorandum of understanding under 
this subsection. 
(3) REVISIONS.—The memorandum of under-
standing under this subsection shall be reviewed and 
revised by the grant recipient and the Secretary each 
year of the duration of the grant. 
(h) PERFORMANCE EVALUATIONS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Each grant recipient under 
this section shall develop procedures for reporting, 
monitoring, measuring, and evaluating the activities 
of each program or project funded under this sec-
tion. 
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(2) GUIDELINES.—The procedures required 
under paragraph (1) shall be in accordance with 
guidelines established by the Secretary. 
(i) REVOCATION OR SUSPENSION OF FUNDING.—If 
the Secretary determines that a recipient of a grant under 
this section is not in compliance with the terms and re-
quirements of the memorandum of understanding under 
subsection (g), the Secretary may revoke or suspend (in 
whole or in part) the funding of the grant. 
(j) USE OF COMPONENTS.—In addition to the Wage 
and Hour Division, the Secretary (acting through the Ad-
ministrator) may use any division or agency of the Depart-
ment of Labor in carrying out this title. 
SEC. 303. GAO STUDY. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Comptroller General of the 
United States shall conduct a study to identify successful 
programs carried out by grants under section 302, and 
the elements, policies, or procedures of such programs that 
can be replicated by other programs carried out by grants 
under such section. 
(b) REPORT.—Not later than 3 years after the date 
of enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the 
United States shall submit a report to the Secretary and 
Congress containing the results of the study conducted 
under subsection (a). 
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(c) USE OF INFORMATION.—The Secretary shall use 
information contained in the report submitted under sub-
section (b)— 
(1) to improve the quality of community part-
nership programs assisted or carried out under this 
title that are in existence as of the publication of the 
report; and 
(2) to develop models for new community part-
nership programs to be assisted or carried out under 
this title. 
SEC. 304. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 
There is authorized to be appropriated $50,000,000 
for fiscal year 2024 and for each subsequent fiscal year 
through fiscal year 2027, to remain available until ex-
pended, to carry out the grant program under section 302. 
TITLE IV—REGULATIONS AND 
EFFECTIVE DATE 
SEC. 401. REGULATIONS. 
Not later than 18 months after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the Secretary of Labor shall promulgate such 
regulations as are necessary to carry out this Act, and 
the amendments made by this Act. 
SEC. 402. EFFECTIVE DATE. 
The amendments made by titles I and II shall take 
effect on the date that is the earlier of— 
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(1) the date that is 6 months after the date on 
which the final regulations are promulgated by the 
Secretary of Labor under section 401; and 
(2) the date that is 18 months after the date 
of enactment of this Act. 
Æ 
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