BE HEARD in the Workplace Act

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.

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Timeline

1. 17 November 2021

   Introduced

   Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

   Source: IntroReferral

2. 17 November 2021

   Introduced

   Introduced in Senate

   Source: IntroReferral

Votes

No vote records are attached yet.

Versions

• Introduced in Senate · 17 November 2021 · Official file

Documents

3 official files

• Introduced in Senate (text)

  Introduced in Senate · EN · 17 November 2021

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• Introduced in Senate (PDF)

  Introduced in Senate · EN · 17 November 2021

  ViewDownloadOpen at official source

• Introduced in Senate

  summary · EN · 17 November 2021

  Open at official source

Sponsors

• Patty Murray · D · Sponsor
• Sen. Hirono, Mazie K. [D-HI] · D · Sponsor
• Tammy Baldwin · D · Sponsor
• Richard Blumenthal · D · Sponsor
• Sen. Booker, Cory A. [D-NJ] · D · Sponsor
• Sen. Brown, Sherrod [D-OH] · D · Sponsor
• Rep. Cardin, Benjamin L. [D-MD-3] · D · Sponsor
• Sen. Casey, Robert P., Jr. [D-PA] · D · Sponsor
• Kirsten Gillibrand · D · Sponsor
• Tammy Duckworth · D · Sponsor
• Richard Durbin · D · Sponsor
• Timothy Kaine · D · Sponsor
• Edward Markey · D · Sponsor
• Jeff Merkley · D · Sponsor
• Ben Luján · D · Sponsor
• Amy Klobuchar · D · Sponsor
• Sen. Padilla, Alex [D-CA] · D · Sponsor
• Jacky Rosen · D · Sponsor
• Bernie Sanders · I · Sponsor
• Chris Van Hollen · D · Sponsor
• Elizabeth Warren · D · Sponsor
• Ron Wyden · D · Sponsor
• · sshr00 · Standing

Related records

• related to ← BE HEARD in the Workplace Act
• related to ← BE HEARD in the Workplace Act