Warehouse Worker Protection Act

The Warehouse Worker Protection Act would create a new framework to regulate performance quotas, surveillance, and other working conditions in warehouse settings. It establishes a Fairness and Transparency Office within the Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division to oversee these protections, set up an advisory board with diverse stakeholders, and coordinate with other federal agencies. The bill defines what constitutes a covered facility, a covered employee, and a covered employer, and it places limits on how quotas are used, how data on employee speed and productivity can be collected and stored, and how adverse actions based on quota performance can be imposed. It also requires paid rest breaks, mandatory disclosure of quotas and surveillance practices to workers, clear complaint paths, and protections against retaliation. In addition to these warehouse-specific rules, the bill proposes related amendments to the NLRA, OSHA standards, and other related provisions, aiming to strengthen enforcement and worker rights in warehousing operations. In practical terms, the act would (1) curb potentially coercive or overly aggressive productivity quotas, (2) require transparency about quotas and surveillance, (3) expand workers’ rights and remedies when quotas are not met or when data is inaccurate, (4) mandate breaks and worker protections around payroll and scheduling, and (5) broaden enforcement through the Labor Department (and, per the table of contents, potentially the FTC) with new inspection powers and oversight. The overall aim is to improve safety, fairness, and accountability for warehouse workers who operate under performance targets in large distribution networks.