{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["http://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/at-warren-and-baldwin-request-independent-watchdog-agrees-to-investigate-mandatory-work-requirements-at-drug-and-alcohol-rehabilitation-facilities-receiving-federal-funding", "At Warren and Baldwin Request, Independent Watchdog Agrees to Investigate Mandatory Work Requirements at Drug and Alcohol Rehabilitation Facilities Receiving Federal Funding", "2020-12-09", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "December 09, 2020\n\t\t\t At Warren and Baldwin Request, Independent Watchdog Agrees to Investigate Mandatory Work Requirements at Drug and Alcohol Rehabilitation Facilities Receiving Federal Funding \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t \n\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n        \n\t\t\t\t A recent investigation found that individuals at these facilities are being required to work, unpaid, as part of their treatment program, creating a \"huge, unpaid shadow workforce\"\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t Response\r\nfrom Government Accountability Office (GAO) Here Senators'\r\nInitial Request to GAO Here Washington, DC - At the request of United States Senator\r\nElizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), a member of the Health, Education, Labor, and\r\nPensions (HELP) Committee, and Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Ranking Member\r\nof the Subcommittee on Employment and Workplace Safety, the Government\r\nAccountability Office (GAO) has agreed to conduct an independent audit of\r\nmandatory vocational requirements at drug and alcohol rehabilitation facilities\r\nthat receive federal funding. The senators' call for an investigation follows recent\r\nreporting by the Center for Investigative Reporting which found that\r\nindividuals at some drug and alcohol rehabilitation facilities are being\r\nrequired to work, unpaid, as part of their treatment program, creating a\r\n\"huge, unpaid shadow workforce.\" \"The GAO's decision to investigate this practice is a good first step\r\ntoward ensuring no one seeking treatment for substance use disorder is\r\nsubjected to predatory conditions that threaten their recovery and violate their\r\nrights,\" Senator Warren said. \"Their investigation\r\nwill aid in ensuring federal funds are being used for evidence-based treatment\r\nprograms, and that federal labor laws are being properly enforced.\" \"It is simply wrong that some drug and alcohol rehabilitation\r\nfacilities are requiring patients to work for little or no pay, under predatory\r\nand unfair working conditions, as part of their treatment program,\"\r\nsaid Senator Baldwin. \"The Government Accountability Office is\r\nright to have accepted our request to investigate so we can learn more and\r\nensure that these facilities are operating within the rule of law. We need to\r\nmake sure these rehabilitation facilities are using evidence-based treatments\r\nand that they are not taking advantage of those who are in recovery.\" Some rehabilitation facilities have mandatory work requirements, described\r\nas vocational therapy, in which facilities send participants to work for\r\ncontractors of or directly at private companies, with these individuals\r\nreceiving little to no pay for their labor. This practice appears to be a\r\nviolation of federal labor law, but has escaped federal enforcement. \"Requiring individuals to work without compensation is a violation of\r\nthe Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), which establishes standards for labor\r\nprotections including minimum wage and overtime pay,\" the senators\r\nwrote\r\nin their request. \"Individuals struggling with substance use\r\ndisorder who attend rehabilitation programs should never be subjected to\r\npredatory conditions that threaten their recovery and violate their rights\r\nunder the law.\" ###\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t  \n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t \n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t \n\t\n\t\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n    \n\t\n\t\n    \n    \n    \n    \t\n    \t\n\t    \t  \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tNext Article\n\t\t    \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tPrevious Article", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["http://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/at-warren-and-baldwin-request-independent-watchdog-agrees-to-investigate-mandatory-work-requirements-at-drug-and-alcohol-rehabilitation-facilities-receiving-federal-funding"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.7939189672470093, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}