HR 6406 115th Congress House Labor and Employment Administrative law and regulatory procedures Administrative remedies Assault and harassment offenses Civil actions and liability Congressional officers and employees Contracts and agency Corporate finance and management Crime victims Employment and training programs Employment discrimination and employee rights Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) Government employee pay, benefits, personnel management Government information and archives Government liability Government studies and investigations Income tax deductions Income tax exclusion Labor-management relations Legal fees and court costs

EMPOWER Act

Introduced: July 17, 2018 Introduced by: Frankel, Lois Democratic · Florida See on congress.gov

Everywhere this bill has been 2 steps

Introduced

In committee

Reported out

Passed House

Passed Senate

To President

Became law

Jul 17, 2018

Referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce, and in addition to the Committees on Ways and Means, Financial Services, House Administration, Oversight and Government Reform, and the Judiciary, 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.

Jul 17, 2018

Introduced in House

Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Ending the Monopoly of Power Over Workplace Harassment through Education and Reporting Act or the EMPOWER Act

This bill makes it an unlawful practice (with exceptions regarding certain settlement or separation agreements) for an employer to: (1) enter into a contract with an employee or applicant, as a condition of employment, promotion, compensation, benefits, or change in employment status or contractual relationship, or as a term, condition, or privilege of employment, if that contract contains a nondisparagement or nondisclosure clause that covers workplace harassment; and (2) enforce, or attempt to enforce, a nondisparagement clause or nondisclosure clause.

Notwithstanding signing any nondisparagement or nondisclosure clause, an employee or applicant retains any right that person would otherwise have had to report a concern about workplace harassment to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and other specified agencies, and any right that person would otherwise have had to bring an action in a court of the United States.

The bill: (1) sets forth enforcement powers of the EEOC and various entities, and the jurisdiction of U.S. courts, regarding workplace harassment; and (2) makes specified procedures and remedies applicable.

The EEOC shall: (1) establish a confidential tip-line that supplements its existing process for submitting a charge of discrimination, and (2) provide for the development and dissemination of workplace training programs and information regarding workplace harassment, including sexual harassment.

The Internal Revenue Code is amended to modify the tax treatment of amounts related to employment discrimination and workplace harassment.

What's happening now July 17, 2018

Committees of jurisdiction 6