H.R. 6406 · 115th Congress
EMPOWER Act
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Never voted on. It didn't reach a floor vote before the 115th Congress ended, so it expired. A bill has to be introduced again to be considered in a new Congress.
D
FrankelSponsor14 cosponsors · 7 D, 7 R
D
Blunt Rochester
BC
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Comstock
JN
D
Nadler
TP
R
Poe
JF
R
Faso
BF
R
Fitzpatrick
JS
D
Speier
ES
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Stefanik
JK
R
Katko
DD
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Dingell
HJ
D
Johnson
AK
D
Kuster
JG
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González-Colón
SJ
D
Jackson Lee4 signed on when it was introduced; the rest joined later. Cosponsors who withdrew aren't shown.
Ending the Monopoly of Power Over Workplace Harassment through Education and Reporting Act or the EMPOWER Act
What it does: CRS summary · Introduced in House · Jul 17, 2018
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.
Written by the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service. All summary versions on Congress.gov
About this bill and sources
Official title: EMPOWER Act
Also known as: Ending the Monopoly of Power Over Workplace Harassment through Education and Reporting Act
Latest action (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.
Policy area: Labor and Employment · Origin: House · Introduced: Jul 17, 2018
Official page on Congress.gov · Bill text (GovInfo) · Status record (XML)
No recorded floor vote found.