HR 1521 116th Congress House Civil Rights and Liberties, Minority Issues 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 Income tax deductions Income tax exclusion Labor-management relations Legal fees and court costs Library of Congress

EMPOWER Act

Introduced: January 24, 2020 Introduced by: Frankel, Lois Democratic · Florida See on congress.gov

Everywhere this bill has been 3 steps

Introduced

In committee

Reported out

Passed House

Passed Senate

To President

Became law

Apr 8, 2019

Referred to the Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties.

Mar 5, 2019

Referred to the Committee on Education and Labor, and in addition to the Committees on Ways and Means, Financial Services, House Administration, Oversight and 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.

Mar 5, 2019

Introduced in House

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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 addresses policies and procedures related to claims of workplace harassment.

Specifically, the 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, 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 that covers workplace harassment.

Under the bill, an employee or applicant retains any right they would otherwise have had to report a concern about workplace harassment to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and other specified agencies, regardless of whether they have signed a nondisparagement or nondisclosure clause. Employees or applicants also retain the right to pursue legal action regardless of signing such clauses.

The bill sets forth (1) enforcement powers of the EEOC and other entities, and the jurisdiction of U.S. courts, regarding workplace harassment; and (2) the applicable procedures and remedies for employees' claims.

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

The bill modifies the tax treatment of expenses and payments related to workplace harassment and employment discrimination.

What's happening now April 8, 2019

Referred to the Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties.

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