Sponsor
The bill increases transparency and procedural safeguards by requiring written DOL agreements and congressional reporting, but it creates privacy risks, added administrative burden, and potential delays in enforcement that could disadvantage workers and strain DOL resources.
Congress receives annual, detailed reports listing written agreements and logs of information shared between the DOL and third parties, improving legislative oversight and transparency.
Parties to existing DOL agreements can preserve those arrangements if the DOL documents them within a 60‑day cure period, avoiding immediate disruption to ongoing operations and contracts.
Employers and contractors receive advance notice and copies of any written agreement before the DOL provides evidence or advice to plaintiffs, letting them prepare or respond to potential civil actions.
Workers and employers may have sensitive details exposed through required reports and agreement copies to Congress unless redactions are perfect, risking privacy breaches or tipping off potential defendants.
The Department of Labor faces increased administrative burden from drafting mandatory written agreements, performing redaction review, and producing annual reports, potentially diverting staff time from enforcement and investigations.
Potential plaintiffs, advocacy groups, and workers could experience delays in receiving DOL assistance or advice if the DOL must finalize written agreements before providing help, slowing enforcement or legal preparations.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Requires written agreements before DOL provides adverse assistance to attorneys, notice to impacted employers/contractors, and annual congressional reporting with agreement copies and logs.
Representative · R-IN
Requires the Secretary of Labor to enter a written agreement with any individual before providing "adverse assistance" (help or information directed toward an attorney for possible use in a civil action enforced by the Wage and Hour Division) and to give notice of that agreement to any employer or contractor who may be directly and adversely affected. Mandates annual reports to Congress listing all such agreements, including copies (with limited redactions), dates, and detailed logs of information shared and communications. Gives the Secretary a 60-day cure period after enactment for existing arrangements if the agreements and notice requirements are completed within that time, and adopts the Fair Labor Standards Act definition of "employer" for the bill's purposes.
Official title: To require the Secretary of Labor to enter into adverse interest agreements if the Secretary shares information with an individual that is related to a potential civil action, and for other purposes.
Introduced July 22, 2026 by Mark B. Messmer · Last progress July 22, 2026