Democrats are strategizing a Plan B to get millions of workers across the country a raise in the COVID-19 relief package after being told their initial idea to raise the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour with a simple majority would violate Senate rules.

The new plan, spearheaded by Finance Committee Chair Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Budget Committee Chair Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) would not require corporations to increase their wages to $15 an hour, but it would punish them if they dont. It also would use the federal tax code to encourage smaller businesses to raise wages for their workers.

The proposal, according to Wyden, would impose a 5% tax on big corporation payrolls if any workers received less than $15 an hour a penalty that would rise over time. It also would provide up to $10,000 in income tax credits for small businesses that agree to pay their employees higher wages.

It would also include safeguards to prevent companies from trying to outsource labor to avoid paying living wages, Wyden said. For example, if a profitable mega corporation like Walmart fires a stores security guard and replaces him with a contractor who makes far less, my proposal would still require that Walmart pays a penalty.