USC Chapter 103

USC Chapter 103
in effect

46 U.S.C. § 10301 Application

(a) Except as otherwise specifically provided, this chapter applies to a vessel of the United States—(1) on a voyage between a port in the United States and a port in a foreign country (except a port in Canada, Mexico, or the West Indies); or (2) of at least 75 gross tons as measured under section 14502 of this title, or an alternate tonnage measured under section 14302 of this title as prescribed by the Secretary under section 14104 of this title on a voyage between a port of the United States on the Atlantic Ocean and a port of the United States on the Pacific Ocean. (b) This chapter does not apply to a vessel on which the seamen are entitled by custom or agreement to share in the profit or result of a voyage or to riding gang members. (c) Unless otherwise provided, this chapter does not apply to a foreign vessel.

46 U.S.C. § 10302 Shipping articles agreements

(a) The owner, charterer, managing operator, master, or individual in charge shall make a shipping agreement in writing with each seaman before the seaman commences employment. (b) The agreement shall contain the following:(1) the nature, and, as far as practicable, the duration of the intended voyage, and the port or country in which the voyage is to end. (2) the number and description of the crew and the capacity in which each seaman is to be engaged. (3) the time at which each seaman is to be on board to begin work. (4) the amount of wages each seaman is to receive. (5) regulations about conduct on board, and information on fines, short allowance of provisions, and other punishment for misconduct provided by law. (6) a scale of the provisions that are to be provided each seaman. (7) any stipulation in reference to advances and allotments of wages. (8) other matters not contrary to law. (c) Each shipping agreement must be signed by the master or individual in charge or a representative of the owner, charterer, or managing operator, and by each seaman employed. (d) The owner, charterer, managing operator, master, or individual in charge shall maintain the shipping agreement and make the shipping agreement available to the seaman.

46 U.S.C. § 10303 Provisions

(a) A seaman shall be served at least 3 meals a day that total at least 3,100 calories, including adequate water and adequate protein, vitamins, and minerals in accordance with the United States Recommended Daily Allowances. (b) The text of subsection (a) of this section shall be included in the agreement required by section 10302 of this title. A copy of the text also shall be posted in a conspicuous place in the galley and forecastle of each vessel. (c) This section does not apply to a fishing or whaling vessel or a yacht.

46 U.S.C. § 10304 Form of agreement

The form of the agreement required by section 10302 of this title shall be in substance as follows: United States of America (Date and place of first signature of agreement): It is agreed between the master and seamen of the , of which is at present master, or whoever shall go for master, now bound from the port of to (here the voyage is to be described, and the places named at which the vessel is to touch, or if that cannot be done, the general nature and probable length of the voyage is to be stated). The seamen agree to conduct themselves in an orderly, faithful, honest, and sober manner, and to be at all times diligent in their respective duties, and to be obedient to the lawful commands of the master, or of an individual who lawfully succeeds the master, and of their superior officers in everything related to the vessel, and the stores and cargo of the vessel, whether on board, in boats, or on shore. In consideration of this service by the seamen to be performed, the master agrees to pay the crew, as wages, the amounts beside their names respectively expressed, and to supply them with provisions according to the annexed scale. It is agreed that any embezzlement, or willful or negligent destruction of any part of the vessel’s cargo or stores, shall be made good to the owner out of the wages of the person guilty of the embezzlement or destruction. If an individual holds himself or herself out as qualified for a duty which the individual proves incompetent to perform, the individual’s wages shall be reduced in proportion to the incompetency. It also is agreed that if a seaman considers himself or herself to be aggrieved by any breach of this agreement or otherwise, the seaman shall present the complaint to the master or officer in charge of the vessel, in a quiet and orderly manner, who shall take steps that the case requires. It also is agreed that (here any other stipulations may be inserted to which the parties agree, and that are not contrary to law). In witness whereof, the parties have subscribed their names to this agreement, on the dates beside their respective signatures. Signed by , master, on the day of , nineteen hundred and . Signature of seamanTime of service: Birthplace Months Age Days Height:Hospital money FeetWhole wages InchesWages due Description:Place and time of entry ComplexionTime at which seaman is to Hair be on board Wages each monthIn what capacity Wages each voyageAllotment payable to Advance wagesConduct qualifications Amount of monthly allotment Note.—In the place for signature and descriptions of individuals engaged after the first departure of the vessel, the entries are to be made as above, except that the signature of the consul or vice consul, customs officer, or witness before whom the individual is engaged, is to be entered.

46 U.S.C. § 10305 Manner of signing agreement

The agreement required by section 10302 of this title shall be signed— (1) first by the master and dated at that time, after which each seaman shall sign; and (2) in the presence of the master or individual in charge.

46 U.S.C. § 10306 Exhibiting merchant mariners’ documents

Before signing the agreement required by section 10302 of this title, each individual required by section 8701 of this title to have a merchant mariner’s document shall exhibit to the master or individual in charge a document issued to the individual, appropriately endorsed for the capacity in which the individual is to serve.

46 U.S.C. § 10307 Posting agreements

At the beginning of a voyage, the master shall have a legible copy of the agreement required by section 10302 of this title, omitting signatures, exhibited in a part of the vessel accessible to the crew.

46 U.S.C. § 10308 Foreign engagements

When a seaman is engaged outside the United States, the agreement required by section 10302 of this title shall be signed in the presence of a consular officer. If a consular officer is not available at the port of engagement, the seaman may be engaged, and the agreement shall be signed in the next port at which a consular officer is available.

46 U.S.C. § 10309 Engaging seamen to replace those lost by desertion or casualty

(a) If a desertion or casualty results in the loss of at least one seaman, the master shall engage, if obtainable, a number equal to the number of seamen of whose services the master has been deprived. The new seaman must have at least the same grade or rating as the seaman whose place the new seaman fills. The master shall report the loss and replacement to a consular officer at the first port at which the master arrives. (b) This section does not apply to a fishing or whaling vessel or a yacht.

46 U.S.C. § 10310 Discharge

A master shall deliver to a seaman a full and true account of the seaman’s wages and all deductions at least 48 hours before paying off or discharging the seaman.

46 U.S.C. § 10311 Certificates of discharge

(a) On discharging a seaman and paying the seaman’s wages, the master or individual in charge shall provide the seaman with a certificate of discharge. The form of the certificate shall be prescribed by regulation. It shall contain—(1) the name of the seaman; (2) the citizenship or nationality of the seaman; (3) the number of the seaman’s merchant mariner’s document; (4) the name and official number of the vessel; (5) the nature of the voyage (foreign, intercoastal, or coastwise); (6) the propulsion class of the vessel; (7) the date and place of engagement; (8) the date and place of discharge; and (9) the seaman’s capacity on the voyage. (b) The certificate of discharge may not contain a reference about the character or ability of the seaman. The certificate shall be signed by the master and the seaman. (c) A certificate of discharge may not be issued if the seaman holds a continuous discharge book. The entries shall be made in the discharge book in the same manner as the entries required by subsection (a) of this section. (d)(1) A record of each discharge shall be maintained by the owner, charterer, managing operator, master, or individual in charge in the manner and location prescribed by regulation. The records may not be open for general or public use or inspection. (2) A duplicate of a record of discharge shall be issued to a seaman at the request of the seaman. (e) This section does not apply to a fishing or whaling vessel or a yacht.

46 U.S.C. § 10312 Settlements on discharge

When discharge and settlement are completed, the master, individual in charge, or owner and each seaman shall sign the agreement required by section 10302 of this title.

46 U.S.C. § 10313 Wages

(a) A seaman’s entitlement to wages and provisions begins when the seaman begins work or when specified in the agreement required by section 10302 of this title for the seaman to begin work or be present on board, whichever is earlier. (b) Wages are not dependent on the earning of freight by the vessel. When the loss or wreck of the vessel ends the service of a seaman before the end of the period contemplated in the agreement, the seaman is entitled to wages for the period of time actually served. The seaman shall be deemed a destitute seaman under section 11104 of this title. This subsection applies to a fishing or whaling vessel but not a yacht. (c) When a seaman who has signed an agreement is discharged improperly before the beginning of the voyage or before one month’s wages are earned, without the seaman’s consent and without the seaman’s fault justifying discharge, the seaman is entitled to receive from the master or owner, in addition to wages earned, one month’s wages as compensation. (d) A seaman is not entitled to wages for a period during which the seaman—(1) unlawfully failed to work when required, after the time fixed by the agreement for the seaman to begin work; or (2) lawfully was imprisoned for an offense, unless a court hearing the case otherwise directs. (e) After the beginning of the voyage, a seaman is entitled to receive from the master, on demand, one-half of the balance of wages earned and unpaid at each port at which the vessel loads or delivers cargo during the voyage. A demand may not be made before the expiration of 5 days from the beginning of the voyage, not more than once in 5 days, and not more than once in the same port on the same entry. If a master does not comply with this subsection, the seaman is released from the agreement and is entitled to payment of all wages earned. Notwithstanding a release signed by a seaman under section 10312 of this title, a court having jurisdiction may set aside, for good cause shown, the release and take action that justice requires. This subsection does not apply to a fishing or whaling vessel or a yacht. (f) At the end of a voyage, the master shall pay each seaman the balance of wages due the seaman within 24 hours after the cargo has been discharged or within 4 days after the seaman is discharged, whichever is earlier. When a seaman is discharged and final payment of wages is delayed for the period permitted by this subsection, the seaman is entitled at the time of discharge to one-third of the wages due the seaman. (g)(1) Subject to paragraph (2), when payment is not made as provided under subsection (f) of this section without sufficient cause, the master or owner shall pay to the seaman 2 days’ wages for each day payment is delayed. (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. (h) Subsections (f) and (g) of this section do not apply to a fishing or whaling vessel or a yacht. (i) This section applies to a seaman on a foreign vessel when in a harbor of the United States. The courts are available to the seaman for the enforcement of this section.

46 U.S.C. § 10314 Advances

(a)(1) A person may not—(A) pay a seaman wages in advance of the time when the seaman has earned the wages; (B) pay advance wages of the seaman to another person; or (C) make to another person an order, note, or other evidence of indebtedness of the wages, or pay another person, for the engagement of seamen when payment is deducted or to be deducted from the seaman’s wage. (2) A person violating this subsection is liable to the United States Government for a civil penalty of not more than $500. A payment made in violation of this subsection does not relieve the vessel or the master from the duty to pay all wages after they have been earned. (b) A person demanding or receiving from a seaman or an individual seeking employment as a seaman, remuneration for providing the seaman or individual with employment, is liable to the Government for a civil penalty of not more than $500. (c) This section applies to a foreign vessel when in waters of the United States. An owner, charterer, managing operator, agent, or master of a foreign vessel violating this section is liable to the Government for the same penalty as an owner, charterer, managing operator, agent, or master of a vessel of the United States for the same violation. (d) The owner, charterer, managing operator, agent, or master of a vessel seeking clearance from a port of the United States shall present the agreement required by section 10302 of this title at the office of clearance. Clearance may be granted to a vessel only if this section has been complied with. (e) This section does not apply to a fishing or whaling vessel or a yacht.

46 U.S.C. § 10315 Allotments

(a) Under prescribed regulations, a seaman may stipulate as follows in the agreement required by section 10302 of this title for an allotment of any part of the wages the seaman may earn:(1) to the seaman’s grandparents, parents, spouse, sister, brother, or children; (2) to an agency designated by the Secretary of the Treasury to handle applications for United States savings bonds, to purchase bonds for the seaman; and (3) for deposits to be made in an account for savings or investment opened by the seaman and maintained in the seaman’s name at a savings bank or a savings institution in which the accounts are insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or the Federal Savings and Loan Insurance Corporation. (b) An allotment is valid only if made in writing and signed by and approved by a shipping commissioner. The shipping commissioner shall examine allotments and the parties to them to enforce compliance with the law. Stipulations for allotments made at the beginning of a voyage shall be included in the agreement and shall state the amounts and times of payment and the person to whom payments are to be made. (c) Only an allotment complying with this section is lawful. A person falsely claiming qualification as an allottee under this section is liable to the United States Government for a civil penalty of not more than $500. (d) The owner, charterer, managing operator, agent, or master of a vessel seeking clearance from a port of the United States shall present the agreement at the office of clearance. Clearance may be granted to a vessel only if this section has been complied with. (e) This section applies to a foreign vessel when in waters of the United States. An owner, charterer, managing operator, agent, or master of a foreign vessel violating this section is liable to the Government for the same penalty as an owner, charterer, managing operator, agent, or master of a vessel of the United States for the same violation. (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.

46 U.S.C. § 10316 Trusts

Sections 10314 and 10315 of this title do not prevent an employer from making deductions from the wages of a seaman, with the written consent of the seaman, if— (1) the deductions are paid into a trust fund established only for the benefit of seamen employed by that employer, and the families and dependents of those seamen (or of those seamen, families, and dependents jointly with other seamen employed by other employers, and the families and dependents of the other seamen); and (2) the payments are held in trust to provide, from principal or interest, or both, any of the following benefits for those seamen and their families and dependents:(A) medical or hospital care, or both. (B) pensions on retirement or death of the seaman. (C) life insurance. (D) unemployment benefits. (E) compensation for illness or injuries resulting from occupational activity. (F) sickness, accident, and disability compensation. (G) purchasing insurance to provide any of the benefits specified in this section.

46 U.S.C. § 10317 Loss of lien and right to wages

A master or seaman by any agreement other than one provided for in this chapter may not forfeit the master’s or seaman’s lien on the vessel or be deprived of a remedy to which the master or seaman otherwise would be entitled for the recovery of wages. A stipulation in an agreement inconsistent with this chapter, or a stipulation by which a seaman consents to abandon a right to wages if the vessel is lost, or to abandon a right the seaman may have or obtain in the nature of salvage, is void.

46 U.S.C. § 10318 Wages on discharge in foreign ports

(a) When a master or seaman applies to a consular officer for the discharge of the seaman, the consular officer shall require the master to pay the seaman’s wages if it appears that the seaman has carried out the agreement required by section 10302 of this title or otherwise is entitled to be discharged. Then the consular officer shall discharge the seaman. A consular officer shall require the payment of extra wages only as provided in this section or in chapter 109 of this title. (b) When discharging a seaman, a consular officer who fails to require the payment of the wages due a seaman at the time, and of the extra wages due under subsection (a) of this section, is accountable to the United States Government for the total amount. (c) A seaman discharged under this section with the consent of the seaman is entitled to wages up to the time of discharge, but not for any additional period. (d) If the seaman is discharged involuntarily, and it appears that the discharge was not because of neglect of duty, incompetency, or injury incurred on the vessel, the master shall provide the seaman with employment on a vessel agreed to by the seaman or shall provide the seaman with one month’s extra wages. (e) Expenses for the maintenance and return of an ill or injured seaman to the United States shall be paid by the Secretary of State. If a seaman is incapacitated by illness or injury and prompt discharge is necessary, but a personal appearance of the master before a consular officer is impracticable, the master may provide transportation to the seaman to the nearest consular officer for discharge. (f) A deduction from wages of the seaman is permitted only if the deduction appears in the account of the seaman required to be delivered under section 10310 of this title, except for matters arising after delivery of the account, in which case a supplementary account is required. During a voyage, the master shall record in the official logbook the matters about which deductions are to be made with the amounts of the deductions. The entries shall be made as the matters occur. The master shall produce the official logbook at the time of payment of wages, and also before a competent authority on the hearing of any complaint or question about the payment of wages.

46 U.S.C. § 10319 Costs of a criminal conviction

In a proceeding about a seaman’s wages, if it is shown that the seaman was convicted during the voyage of an offense by a competent tribunal and sentenced by the tribunal, the court hearing the case may direct that a part of the wages due the seaman, but not more than $15, be applied to reimburse the master for costs properly incurred in procuring the conviction and sentence.

46 U.S.C. § 10320 Records of seamen

The Secretary shall prescribe regulations requiring vessel owners to maintain records of seamen on matters of engagement, discharge, and service. A vessel owner shall make these records available to the seaman and the Coast Guard on request.

46 U.S.C. § 10321 General penalty

(a) A person violating any provision of this chapter or a regulation prescribed under this chapter is liable to the United States Government for a civil penalty of not more than $5,000. (b) The vessel is liable in rem for any penalty assessed under this section.

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