CREW WAGES ON PASSENGER VESSELS.

SEC. 902. CREW WAGES ON PASSENGER VESSELS.(a) Foreign and Intercoastal Voyages.—(1) Cap on penalty wages.—Section 10313(g) of title 46, United States Code, is amended—(A) by striking “When” and inserting “(1) Subject to paragraph (2), when”; and124 STAT. 3009(B) by adding at the end the following:“(2) The total amount required to be paid under paragraph (1) with respect to all claims in a class action suit by seamen on a passenger vessel capable of carrying more than 500 passengers for wages under this section against a vessel master, owner, or operator or the employer of the seamen shall not exceed ten times the unpaid wages that are the subject of the claims.“(3) A class action suit for wages under this subsection must be commenced within three years after the later of—“(A) the date of the end of the last voyage for which the wages are claimed; or“(B) the receipt, by a seaman who is a claimant in the suit, of a payment of wages that are the subject of the suit that is made in the ordinary course of employment.”.(2) Deposits.—Section 10315 of such title is amended by adding at the end the following:“(f) Deposits in Seaman Account.—By written request signed by the seaman, a seaman employed on a passenger vessel capable of carrying more than 500 passengers may authorize the master, owner, or operator of the vessel, or the employer of the seaman, to make deposits of wages of the seaman into a checking, savings, investment, or retirement account, or other account to secure a payroll or debit card for the seaman if—“(1) the wages designated by the seaman for such deposit are deposited in a United States or international financial institution designated by the seaman;“(2) such deposits in the financial institution are fully guaranteed under commonly accepted international standards by the government of the country in which the financial institution is licensed;“(3) a written wage statement or pay stub, including an accounting of any direct deposit, is delivered to the seaman no less often than monthly; and“(4) while on board the vessel on which the seaman is employed, the seaman is able to arrange for withdrawal of all funds on deposit in the account in which the wages are deposited.”.(b) Coastwise Voyages.—(1) Cap on penalty wages.—Section 10504(c) of such title is amended—(A) by striking “When” and inserting “(1) Subject to subsection (d), and except as provided in paragraph (2), when”; and(B) by inserting at the end the following:“(2) The total amount required to be paid under paragraph (1) with respect to all claims in a class action suit by seamen on a passenger vessel capable of carrying more than 500 passengers for wages under this section against a vessel master, owner, or operator or the employer of the seamen shall not exceed ten times the unpaid wages that are the subject of the claims.“(3) A class action suit for wages under this subsection must be commenced within three years after the later of—“(A) the date of the end of the last voyage for which the wages are claimed; or“(B) the receipt, by a seaman who is a claimant in the suit, of a payment of wages that are the subject of the suit that is made in the ordinary course of employment.”.124 STAT. 3010(2) Deposits.—Section 10504 of such title is amended by adding at the end the following:“(f) Deposits in Seaman Account.—On written request signed by the seaman, a seaman employed on a passenger vessel capable of carrying more than 500 passengers may authorize, the master, owner, or operator of the vessel, or the employer of the seaman, to make deposits of wages of the seaman into a checking, savings, investment, or retirement account, or other account to secure a payroll or debit card for the seaman if—“(1) the wages designated by the seaman for such deposit are deposited in a United States or international financial institution designated by the seaman;“(2) such deposits in the financial institution are fully guaranteed under commonly accepted international standards by the government of the country in which the financial institution is licensed;“(3) a written wage statement or pay stub, including an accounting of any direct deposit, is delivered to the seaman no less often than monthly; and“(4) while on board the vessel on which the seaman is employed, the seaman is able to arrange for withdrawal of all funds on deposit in the account in which the wages are deposited.”.