Blue Collar Social Security Fairness Act: What You Need to Know
Rep. Haley Stevens introduced the Blue Collar Social Security Fairness Act (H.R. 10608) in September 2026. It would let qualifying workers in physically demanding jobs receive full Social Security retirement benefits at 60 — instead of the current full retirement age of 67 for anyone born in 1960 or later. It is a proposal, not law.
Is the Blue Collar Social Security Fairness Act Law?
No. As of September 27, 2026, H.R. 10608 has been introduced and referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means. It has not passed the House or Senate. Current rules still apply: retirement benefits start no earlier than 62, and full retirement age is 67 for people born in 1960 or later.
- Bill
- H.R. 10608
- Sponsor
- Rep. Haley Stevens (D-MI)
- Congress
- 119th Congress, 2nd Session
- Status
- In committee
What Is the Blue Collar Social Security Fairness Act?
The Blue Collar Social Security Fairness Act is a House bill that would create a separate path to full Social Security retirement benefits for people who spent a large part of their careers in physically demanding jobs. Rep. Haley Stevens (D-MI) announced it on September 23, 2026, citing construction, roofing, nursing, and manufacturing as examples of the work it targets. That's why many people search for it simply as the Haley Stevens Social Security bill.
Qualifying workers could receive full, unreduced benefits at 60 — seven years before today's full retirement age of 67 and two years before the current earliest claiming age of 62.
Not to be confused with the Social Security Fairness Act, which became law in January 2025 and repealed WEP and GPO.
What Would the Bill Change?
The bill would direct SSA to identify qualifying occupations and update the list every three years.
| Current rules | Proposed bill |
|---|---|
| 67 for people born in 1960 or later (66–66 and 10 months for 1954–1959) | 60 for workers who meet the physically demanding work test |
| 62, with a permanent reduction of up to 30% | Full, unreduced benefits at 60 for qualifying workers |
| Same age rules for every worker, regardless of occupation | A special rule for workers in qualifying physically demanding occupations |
Who Could Qualify?
According to reporting on the bill text, a qualifying occupation is one with substantial physical demands that could reasonably be expected to reduce a person's ability to keep doing that work at an older age. A year counts only if you worked at least 8 months of it in a qualifying job. There are two ways to meet the work test:
Option 1: 20 base points
One point per qualifying year at any age. 20 years of physically demanding work is enough.
Option 2: 15 age-adjusted points
- Ages 18–340.5 pts/year
- Ages 35–441 pt/year
- Ages 45–541.5 pts/year
- Age 55 and older2 pts/year
Occupations cited so far: construction, roofing, manufacturing, nursing, and other physically demanding work. The official list would come from SSA, working with the Departments of Labor and Health and Human Services, within a year of enactment.
Blue Collar Social Security Fairness Act Calculator
Educational estimate · Proposed rules
About 54 in 2026
Monthly, at full retirement age
Count a year only if you worked 8+ months of it in the job. You can include years you plan to work.
Potential eligibility under the proposed bill
Based on the information entered, you may meet the hypothetical work-history threshold under both tests.
| Age band | Years | Pts/yr | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ages 18–34 | 8 | 0.5 | 4 |
| Ages 35–44 | 10 | 1 | 10 |
| Ages 45–54 | 4 | 1.5 | 6 |
| Age 55 and older | 0 | 2 | 0 |
Monthly benefit comparison
Starting full benefits at 60 instead of at full retirement age (67 years) would mean about $184,800 in payments before full retirement age (before COLAs), with no early-claiming reduction.
You would turn 60 in 2032.
This calculator is an educational estimate based on the bill's proposed rules. It does not determine eligibility, and the bill is not currently law.
When Could Blue Collar Workers Receive Full Social Security Benefits at 60?
Only after two things happen: the bill (or a similar proposal) becomes law, and you meet its work-history test. Even then, benefits would depend on SSA publishing the qualifying occupation list and issuing rules for how to prove your work history. Until then, the earliest you can claim retirement benefits is 62, with a reduction.
Find your current full retirement ageHow Is This Different From Claiming Social Security at 62?
Claim at 62 (current law)
Available to anyone with 40 credits. Benefits are permanently reduced — about 30% for people with a full retirement age of 67.
Full retirement age (current law)
67 for people born in 1960 or later. You receive 100% of your primary insurance amount (PIA).
Full benefits at 60 (proposed)
Only if H.R. 10608 becomes law and you meet its work test. You would receive your full benefit without the early-claiming reduction.
The key difference: claiming at 62 today locks in a permanent reduction. The proposal would let qualifying workers start two years earlier and skip the reduction.
See how benefits change by claiming ageBlue Collar Social Security Fairness Act vs. Current Social Security Rules
| Topic | Current rules | Under H.R. 10608 (proposed) |
|---|---|---|
| Full retirement age | 67 for people born in 1960 or later (66–66 and 10 months for 1954–1959) | 60 for workers who meet the physically demanding work test |
| Earliest retirement claim | 62, with a permanent reduction of up to 30% | Full, unreduced benefits at 60 for qualifying workers |
| Who it applies to | Same age rules for every worker, regardless of occupation | A special rule for workers in qualifying physically demanding occupations |
| Occupation list | None — occupation doesn't affect retirement age | SSA (with Labor and HHS) would publish a list and update it every three years |
| Work-history test | 40 credits (about 10 years of covered work) to qualify for retirement benefits | 20 qualifying years or 15 age-adjusted points in physically demanding work |
How Would This Fit With Social Security's Funding Outlook?
Lowering the full-benefit age for some workers would add costs, and the bill arrives as the 2026 Trustees Report projects the retirement trust fund can pay full benefits only until late 2032. How the proposal would be paid for is likely to be part of any debate.
What the 2032 outlook means, state by stateWhat Happens Next With the Bill?
Current stage (September 27, 2026): Introduced; referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.
- Committee review by the House Committee on Ways and Means
- Possible committee markup and a House floor vote
- Senate action on the same or a companion bill
- Presidential signature before it could become law
- If enacted: SSA, Labor, and HHS publish the qualifying occupation list
We update this section when the bill's status changes on Congress.gov.
Frequently asked questions
Related guides & tools
Official Primary Data Sources
Bill status last checked September 27, 2026. Details may change as the bill moves through Congress.
Official bill status, actions, cosponsors, and text.
Reporting on the bill's base-point and age-adjusted tests and the 8-month rule.
Current full retirement age and early-claiming reductions.
Reporting on the bill's points system and occupation examples.