Higher Wages for American Workers Act introduced by Capito, GOP colleagues

U.S. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) joined several of her Republican colleagues in introducing a bill that would gradually raise the federal minimum wage, permanently establish the E-Verify employment eligibility verification system, and mandate the use of E-Verify by all employers. 

“This framework balances the needs of employers with opportunities for employees,” Sen. Capito said. “This effort demonstrates there are long-term solutions that can be put forth and debated outside of a partisan process that has dubious merit in its implementation in the name of COVID relief.”

Sen. Capito on Feb. 25 cosponsored the Higher Wages for American Workers Act of 2021, S. 478, with bill sponsor U.S. Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR) and fellow cosponsors including U.S. Sens. Susan Collins (R-ME) and Rob Portman (R-OH).

If enacted, S. 478 would gradually raise the federal minimum wage to $10 over four years and mandate E-Verify to ensure the wage increase only goes to legal workers, according to a bill summary provided by Sen. Capito’s office. Future minimum wage increases would be indexed to inflation every two years.

Additionally, the bill would include protections for small businesses, such as by creating a slower phase-in over 18 months for small businesses having less than 20 employees to allow them more time to comply with the new law, the summary says.

The bill also would increase civil and criminal penalties on employers who hire unauthorized aliens and/or violate I-9 paperwork requirements, while fraud preventions in the bill would require workers aged 18 and older to provide a photo ID to their employer for verification through the E-Verify system.

The measure has been referred for consideration to the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee.