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HR 3646 104th Congress House Law Accounting Attorney-client privilege Business ethics Civil Rights and Liberties, Minority Issues Commerce Contracts Counseling Damages Dentists Disciplining of employees Discrimination in employment Employee rights Estate planning Families Finance and Financial Sector Health Labor and Employment Lawyers Legal ethics

Sexual Harassment Prevention Act of 1996

Introduced: June 13, 1996 See on congress.gov
This bill died when the 104th Congress ended
It never became law before the 104th Congress (1995–1996) adjourned, and bills don't carry over to the next Congress. It would have to be reintroduced. You can still save it for reference, but it won't receive updates.
 Everywhere this bill has been 4 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Jun 28, 1996
Referred to the Subcommittee on Employer-Employee Relations.
Jun 26, 1996
Referred to the Subcommittee on the Constitution.
Jun 13, 1996
Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committee on Economic and Educational Opportunities, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Jun 13, 1996
Introduced in House
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 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Sexual Harassment Prevention Act of 1996 - Provides that anyone (including a government entity) who, in or affecting interstate or foreign commerce, engages in sexual harassment, or retaliates against any person for opposing sexual harassment or filing a complaint or otherwise participating in a civil action under this Act, shall be liable to the person injured by that harassment or retaliation for any appropriate relief, which may include money damages.

Authorizes the court to award a prevailing plaintiff a reasonable attorney's fee and other litigation expenses (including expert witness fees) as part of the costs.

Defines "sexual harassment" as an unwelcome sexual advance or request for sexual favors, or other unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature, where: (1) submission to such conduct is either explicitly or implicitly a term or condition of a specified relationship; (2) submission to or rejection of such conduct is the basis for decisions or actions regarding the person who submitted to or rejected that conduct; or (3) such conduct has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with the relationship or creates an intimidating, hostile, or offensive environment within that relationship.

Specifies that such relationship includes a relationship between: (1) a patient and a physician, psychotherapist, or dentist; (2) a client and an attorney, marriage, family, or child counselor, social worker, or accountant; (3) a beneficiary and an executor, trustee, or administrator of a trust or estate; (4) an employee and an employer if the employer has fewer than 15 employees for each working day in each of 33 or more calendar weeks in the current and in the preceding calendar year; or (5) the parties to a contract or persons negotiating a contract or seeking to enforce claimed rights under a contract.

Authorizes additional funding for the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission for FY 1997 and thereafter.

What's happening now June 28, 1996

Referred to the Subcommittee on Employer-Employee Relations.

 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 4
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APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). H.R. 3646: Sexual Harassment Prevention Act of 1996. 104th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/104-HR-3646/
MLA
"H.R. 3646: Sexual Harassment Prevention Act of 1996." 104th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/104-HR-3646/.
Bluebook (legal)
H.R. 3646, 104th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/104-HR-3646/.
Markdown link
[H.R. 3646: Sexual Harassment Prevention Act of 1996](https://openamerica.io/bill/104-HR-3646/)
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