Letter in Support of AB 248, Fair Wages for Incarcerated Workers in California

NELP submitted this letter to the California legislature in support of AB 248, which would promote dignity, fairness, and financial stability for incarcerated workers in California’s counties.

Current law (Penal Code § 4019.3) sets a maximum wage of $2.00 per eight-hour shift for incarcerated workers in the custody of county jails. AB 248 would repeal this maximum wage and would allow counties to set their own wages for incarcerated workers under their jurisdiction.

This bill does not require counties to pay wages to incarcerated workers; it simply gives them the authority to do so.

Download the full letter here.