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United States · Bill · HR

H.R. 5994 (117th)

BE HEARD in the Workplace Act

referredUnited States· United States Congress· EN

Introduced

17 November 2021

Last action

1 November 2022 · Referred

Status

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

Sponsors

Rep. Clark, Katherine M. [D-MA-5], Rep. Pressley, Ayanna [D-MA-7], Sen. Slotkin, Elissa [D-MI], Rep. Garcia, Sylvia R. [D-TX-29], Rep. Strickland, Marilyn [D-WA-10], Rep. Barragán, Nanette Diaz [D-CA-44], Rep. Bass, Karen [D-CA-37], Sen. Blunt Rochester, Lisa [D-DE], Rep. Bonamici, Suzanne [D-OR-1], Rep. Bowman, Jamaal [D-NY-16], Rep. Brownley, Julia [D-CA-26], Rep. Carson, André [D-IN-7], Rep. Cartwright, Matt [D-PA-17], Rep. Casten, Sean [D-IL-6], Rep. Chu, Judy [D-CA-28], Rep. Cohen, Steve [D-TN-9], Rep. Davis, Danny K. [D-IL-7], Rep. Dean, Madeleine [D-PA-4], Rep. DeFazio, Peter A. [D-OR-4], Rep. DelBene, Suzan K. [D-WA-1], Rep. Dingell, Debbie [D-MI-6], Rep. Espaillat, Adriano [D-NY-13], Rep. Evans, Dwight [D-PA-3], Rep. Frankel, Lois [D-FL-22], Rep. Garamendi, John [D-CA-8], Rep. García, Jesús G. "Chuy" [D-IL-4], Rep. Grijalva, Raúl M. [D-AZ-7], Rep. Hayes, Jahana [D-CT-5], Rep. Jackson Lee, Sheila [D-TX-18], Rep. Jacobs, Sara [D-CA-51], Rep. Jayapal, Pramila [D-WA-7], Rep. Johnson, Henry C. "Hank" [D-GA-4], Rep. Keating, William R. [D-MA-9], Rep. Kelly, Robin L. [D-IL-2], Rep. Kildee, Daniel T. [D-MI-5], Rep. Kilmer, Derek [D-WA-6], Rep. Kuster, Ann M. [D-NH-2], Rep. Lawrence, Brenda L. [D-MI-14], Rep. Lawson, Al, Jr. [D-FL-5], Rep. Lee, Barbara [D-CA-12], Rep. Leger Fernandez, Teresa [D-NM-3], Rep. Levin, Andy [D-MI-9], Rep. Lieu, Ted [D-CA-36], Rep. Lowenthal, Alan S. [D-CA-47], Rep. Lynch, Stephen F. [D-MA-8], Rep. Maloney, Carolyn B. [D-NY-12], Rep. McBath, Lucy [D-GA-6], Rep. Meeks, Gregory W. [D-NY-5]

Subjects

Education

Source updated

13 January 2026

Education

Summary

Bringing an End to Harassment by Enhancing Accountability and Rejecting Discrimination in the Workplace Act or the BE HEARD in the Workplace Act This bill expands protections against discrimination and harassment in the workplace and raises the minimum wage for tipped employees. Specifically, the bill (1) makes it an unlawful employment practice to discriminate against an individual in the workplace based on sexual orientation, gender identity, pregnancy, childbirth, a medical condition related to pregnancy or childbirth, or a sex stereotype; and (2) provides a statutory definition for what constitutes workplace harassment. Further, these protections apply to all workplaces, regardless of size, and to all workers, including independent contractors, interns, volunteers, and trainees. The bill prohibits employers from entering into contracts or agreements with workers that contain certain nondisparagement or nondisclosure clauses and prohibits certain predispute arbitration agreements and postdispute agreements. It also establishes grant programs to (1) prevent and respond to workplace discrimination and harassment, (2) provide legal assistance for low-income workers, and (3) establish a system of legal advocacy in states to protect the rights of workers. The bill further provides employees the right to retain their tips and it increases, in specified annual increments, the minimum wage for tipped employees to match the federal minimum wage for nontipped employees. Additionally, the bill requires the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission to provide specified training and resource materials, establish and convene a harassment prevention task force, and establish an Office of Education and Outreach with regard to prohibited discrimination and harassment in employment. The bill also requires specified studies, reports, and research on prohibited workplace harassment.

This text is taken from the official record. PoliticalRepo does not editorialize.

Timeline

  1. 17 November 2021

    Introduced

    Referred to the Committee on Education and Labor, and in addition to the Committees on the Judiciary, House Administration, Oversight and Reform, and Veterans' Affairs, 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.

    Source: IntroReferral

  2. 17 November 2021

    Introduced

    Introduced in House

    Source: IntroReferral

  3. 17 November 2021

    Introduced

    Introduced in House

    Source: IntroReferral

  4. 29 November 2021

    Referred

    Referred to the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations.

    Source: Committee

  5. 1 November 2022

    Referred

    Referred to the Subcommittee on Antitrust, Commercial, and Administrative Law.

    Source: Committee

Votes

No vote records are attached yet.

Versions

Documents

3 official files

Introduced in House (text)

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  • Introduced in House (text)

    Introduced in House · EN · 17 November 2021

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  • Introduced in House (PDF)

    Introduced in House · EN · 17 November 2021

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  • Introduced in House

    summary · EN · 17 November 2021

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Sponsors

Showing 48 of 99 sponsors and actors.

Related records

Sources

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