# 116-hr-7117: Essential Pay for Essential Workers Act

116-hr-7117, Essential Pay for Essential Workers Act, is a 116th Congress bill sponsored by Rep. Watson Coleman, Bonnie [D-NJ-12] (D-NJ); status Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on Education and Labor, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned. (as of 2025-11-18).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/legislation/116-hr-7117
- As of: 2025-11-18
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: 116-hr-7117
- Congress: 116
- Title: Essential Pay for Essential Workers Act
- Status: Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on Education and Labor, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
- Introduced: 2020-06-04
- Sponsor: Rep. Watson Coleman, Bonnie [D-NJ-12] (D-NJ)
- Cosponsors: 13
- Policy area: Taxation
- Touches household money: no
- Last recorded action: 2025-11-18

## Summary

Essential Pay for Essential Workers Act This bill requires employers to pay essential health care employees a premium amount in addition to their regular rate of pay during an emergency period. It also allows employers a payroll tax credit for the payment of such enhanced wages to essential employees.

## Cosponsors (13)

- Rep. Carson, André [D-IN-7] (D-IN), 2020-06-04T00:00:00.000Z
- ELIOT ENGEL (D-NY), 2020-06-04T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Cohen, Steve [D-TN-9] (D-TN), 2020-06-04T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Barragán, Nanette Diaz [D-CA-44] (D-CA), 2020-06-04T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Beatty, Joyce [D-OH-3] (D-OH), 2020-06-04T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Tlaib, Rashida [D-MI-12] (D-MI), 2020-06-04T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Green, Al [D-TX-9] (D-TX), 2020-06-04T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Hayes, Jahana [D-CT-5] (D-CT), 2020-06-04T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Richmond, Cedric L. [D-LA-2] (D-LA), 2020-06-04T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Thompson, Bennie G. [D-MS-2] (D-MS), 2020-06-04T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Jackson Lee, Sheila [D-TX-18] (D-TX), 2020-06-04T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Ocasio-Cortez, Alexandria [D-NY-14] (D-NY), 2020-06-04T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Vela, Filemon [D-TX-34] (D-TX), 2020-07-01T00:00:00.000Z

## Related bills

- 116-hr-8015: Delivering for America Act
- 116-hr-7120: George Floyd Justice in Policing Act of 2020
- 116-hr-6902: Black History is American History Act
- 116-hr-2474: Protecting the Right to Organize Act of 2019
- 116-hr-2420: National Museum of the American Latino Act
- 116-hr-2382: USPS Fairness Act

## Sources
- [116-hr-7117 on Congress.gov](https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-bill/7117)

## Related
- [116-hr-8015: Delivering for America Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/116-hr-8015)
- [116-hr-7120: George Floyd Justice in Policing Act of 2020](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/116-hr-7120)
- [116-hr-6902: Black History is American History Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/116-hr-6902)
- [116-hr-2474: Protecting the Right to Organize Act of 2019](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/116-hr-2474)
- [116-hr-2420: National Museum of the American Latino Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/116-hr-2420)
- [116-hr-2382: USPS Fairness Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/116-hr-2382)
- [All bills in Congress](https://policyrisk.com/legislation)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/legislation/116-hr-7117 (as of 2025-11-18).