H.R. 6543 explained · 119th Congress · Pending in Congress
Health Care Worker and First Responder Fairness Act
Cosponsors: 2 (2 D, 0 R) · per Congress.gov, 2026-10-10
Introduced: 2025-12-09
Latest action (2025-12-09): Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.
What H.R. 6543 does, in plain terms
Health Care Worker and First Responder Fairness Act This bill exempts from the Social Security Retirement Earnings Test (RET) wages earned through work as a health care professional or first responder during the COVID-19 pandemic. Under the RET, benefits are reduced for beneficiaries who are younger than full retirement age if they earn wages in excess of a specified annual limit. Further, the Social Security Administration may issue waivers to individuals employed as health care professionals or first responders during a declared public health emergency in which there is a shortage of health care workers. Wages earned by individuals granted waivers during a public health emergency are exempt from the RET.
Official summary by the Congressional Research Service, via Congress.gov.
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