§11106 Wages on justifiable complaint of seamen

Summary

If a seaman abroad says a U.S. ship is poorly supplied, unsafe, or the officers were cruel, a U.S. consular officer must investigate. If the officer finds the complaint fair, the ship’s master must pay the seaman any unpaid wages plus one month’s additional wages and discharge the seaman. The master must also give the seaman work on another ship or pay for passage to the port of original engagement, the most convenient U.S. port, or a port the seaman agrees to. If a seaman had to accept smaller or bad food rations, a court can award extra pay the judge thinks is reasonable. That extra pay does not apply if the seaman willfully skipped duties or was lawfully confined for misconduct, unless the ration cut was clearly unreasonable. It also does not apply to fishing or whaling vessels or to yachts.