Results for

SAFE Workers Act or the Secure And Fair Elections for Workers Act This bill requires the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) to provide employees with the ability to vote remotely by telephone or the internet in union representation elections during the COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) public health emergency. The bill further permits the NLRB's use of appropriations to issue directives or regulations providing for electronic voting methods.

Employee Rights Act This bill amends the National Labor Relations Act to (1) make it an unlawful labor practice for a labor organization to interfere (currently, also restrain or coerce) with the rights of employees to organize and collectively bargain; (2) require union recertification after a turnover in the workforce exceeding 50% of the bargaining unit; (3) require the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) to give 14 days advance notice before a hearing investigating an election petition; and (4) require an employer to provide the NLRB with a list consisting only of employee names and addresses of all eligible voters within seven days after an NLRB determination of the appropriate bargaining unit or an agreement on eligible voters. The bill (1) grants union and nonunion employees the right to vote by secret ballot on whether to ratify a collective bargaining agreement or engage in a strike, (2) prohibits the use of union dues for any purpose not directly related to collective bargaining, (3) prohibits a strike without the consent of a majority of all represented employees determined by secret ballot, and (4) prohibits the use or threat of force or violence to obtain the right to represent employees. .

Protecting the Right to Organize Act of 2019 This bill expands various labor protections related to employees' rights to organize and collectively bargain in the workplace. Specifically, it * revises the definition of employee, supervisor, and employer to broaden the scope of individuals covered by the fair labor standards; * permits a labor organization to encourage participation of union members in strikes initiated by employees represented by a different labor organization (i.e., secondary strikes); * terminates the right of employers to bring claims against unions that conduct such secondary strikes; * permits the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) to conduct economic analysis; * allows collective-bargaining agreements to require all employees represented by the bargaining unit to contribute fees to the labor organization for the cost of such representation, notwithstanding a state law to the contrary; * expands unfair labor practices to include prohibitions against replacement of, or discrimination against, workers who participate in strikes; * makes it an unfair labor practice to require or coerce employees to attend employer meetings designed to discourage union membership; * prohibits employers from entering into agreements with employees under which employees waive the right to pursue or a join collective or class-action litigation; and * requires the NLRB to promulgate rules requiring employers to post notices of employees' labor rights and protections and establishes penalties for failing to comply with such requirement. The bill also addresses the procedures for union representation elections. Among other changes, the bill * prohibits employers from participating in any NLRB representation proceedings, * requires employers to provide a list of voters to the labor organization seeking to represent the bargaining unit in an NLRB-directed election, * compels employers to bargain with a labor organization that has received a majority of valid votes for representation in an NLRB-directed election, and * provides statutory authority for the requirement that the NLRB must set preelection hearings to begin not later than 8 days after notifying the labor organization of such a petition and set postelection hearings to begin not later than 14 days after an objection to a decision has been filed. The bill modifies the protections against unfair labor practices that result in serious economic harm such as the discharge of an employee. Specifically, the bill * removes current limits on a court's ability to provide temporary injunctive relief upon a petition by the NLRB; * expands the available remedies for employees subject to such harms to include two times the amount of actual damages (e.g., back pay), consequential damages; and punitive damages; and * establishes a civil penalty in addition to any damage awards. The bill further prohibits employers from taking adverse actions against an employee, including employees with management responsibilities, in response to that employee participating in protected activities related to the enforcement of the prohibitions against unfair labor practices (i.e., whistleblower protections). Such protected activities include * providing information about a potential violation to an enforcement agency, * participating in an enforcement proceeding, * initiating a proceeding concerning an alleged violation or assisting in such a proceeding, or * refusing to participate in an activity the employee reasonably believes is a violation of labor laws. The bill also specifies procedures for adjudicating complaints, including, filing requirements, criteria for making determinations of violations, types of available relief, evidentiary guidelines, and judicial review of NLRB determinations. The bill generally establishes penalties and permits injunctive relief against entities that fail to comply with NLRB orders and creates a private right of action for employees to bring claims against employers interfering with employees' rights to organize or join a labor organization. Additionally, the bill modifies the reporting requirements for employers engaged in arrangements with third-parties to persuade employees not to organize. Specifically, the bill narrows the scope of the exemption for arrangements that are considered legal advice or representation. The Government Accountability Office must analyze and report on comparative collective-bargaining practices in countries outside the United States.

Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2021 This bill provides FY2021 appropriations to the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education; and related agencies. The bill provides appropriations to the Department of Labor for * the Employment and Training Administration, * the Employee Benefits Security Administration, * the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation, * the Wage and Hour Division, * the Office of Labor-Management Standards, * the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs, * the Office of Workers' Compensation Programs, * the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, * the Mine Safety and Health Administration, * the Bureau of Labor Statistics, * the Office of Disability Employment Policy, and * Departmental Management. The bill provides appropriations to the Department of Health and Human Services for * the Health Resources and Services Administration, * the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, * the National Institutes of Health, * the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, * the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, * the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, * the Administration for Children and Families, * the Administration for Community Living, and * the Office of the Secretary. The bill provides appropriations to the Department of Education for * Education for the Disadvantaged; * Impact Aid; * School Improvement Programs; * Indian Education; * Innovation and Improvement; * Safe Schools and Citizenship Education; * English Language Acquisition; * Special Education; * Rehabilitation Services; * Special Institutions for Persons with Disabilities; * Career, Technical, and Adult Education; * Student Financial Assistance; * Student Aid Administration; * Higher Education; * Howard University; * the College Housing and Academic Facilities Loan Program; * the Historically Black College and University Capital Financing Program Account; * the Institute of Education Sciences; and * Departmental Management. The bill provides appropriations to Related Agencies, including * the Committee for Purchase From People Who Are Blind or Severely Disabled, * the Corporation for National and Community Service, * the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, * the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service, * the Federal Mine Safety and Health Review Commission, * the Institute of Museum and Library Services, * the Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission, * the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission, * the National Council on Disability, * the National Labor Relations Board, * the National Mediation Board, * the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission, * the Railroad Retirement Board, and * the Social Security Administration. The bill also sets forth requirements and restrictions for using funds provided by this and other appropriations Acts.

National Right-to-Work Act This bill repeals those provisions of the National Labor Relations Act and the Railway Labor Act that permit employers, pursuant to a collective bargaining agreement that is a union security agreement, to require employees to join a union as a condition of employment (including provisions permitting railroad carriers to require, pursuant to such an agreement, payroll deduction of union dues or fees as a condition of employment).

National Right-to-Work Act This bill amends the National Labor Relations Act and the Railway Labor Act to repeal those provisions that permit employers, pursuant to a collective bargaining agreement that is a union security agreement, to require employees to join a union as a condition of employment (including provisions permitting railroad carriers to require, pursuant to such an agreement, payroll deduction of union dues or fees as a condition of employment).

Tribal Labor Sovereignty Act of 2019 This bill amends the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) to exclude Native American tribes and tribal enterprises and institutions on tribal land from requirements for employers under the NLRA. (Currently under the NLRA, employers may not engage in unfair labor practices and must allow employees to form unions, engage in collective bargaining, and take collective action.)

Tribal Labor Sovereignty Act of 2019 This bill amends the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) to exclude Native American tribes and tribal enterprises and institutions on tribal land from requirements for employers under the NLRA. (Currently under the NLRA, employers may not engage in unfair labor practices and must allow employees to form unions, engage in collective bargaining, and take collective action.)

Protecting the Right to Organize Act of 2019 This bill amends the National Labor Relations Act and related labor laws to extend protections to union workers. Specifically, it * revises the definition of "employee" and "supervisor" to prevent employers from classifying employees as exempt from labor law protections, * expands unfair labor practices to include prohibitions against replacement of or discrimination against workers who participate in strikes, * makes it an unfair labor practice to require or coerce employees to attend employer meetings designed to discourage union membership, * permits workers to participate in collective or class action litigation, * allows injunctions against employers engaging in unfair labor practices involving discharge or serious economic harm to an employee, * expands penalties for labor law violations, including interference with the National Labor Relations Board or causing serious economic harm to an employee, and * allows any person to bring a civil action for harm caused by labor law violations or unfair labor practices.

Protecting American Jobs Act This bill modifies provisions governing the National Labor Relations Board to * repeal the authority of the General Counsel ofthe board, to issue, and prosecute before the board, complaints of unfair labor practices; * limit the board's rulemaking authority to rules concerning the internal functions of the board; * prohibit the board from promulgating regulations affecting the substantive or procedural rights of any person, employer, employee, or labor organization, including rules concerning unfair labor practices and representation elections; * repeal the board's authority to prevent persons from engaging in unfair labor practices, limiting such authority to the investigation of allegations of such practices; and * repeal the board's authority to petition courts for enforcement of its orders, seek injunctions, or hold hearings on jurisdictional strikes.

Respect Graduate Student Workers Act This bill prohibits the National Labor Relations Board from promulgating or enforcing any rule that excludes student workers at private universities from the definition ofemployeeunder federal labor laws. (Under current law, students paid for services provided at universities in connection with such students' studies are considered employees.)

National Apprenticeship Act of 2020 This bill provides statutory authority for the registered apprenticeship program within the Department of Labor (DOL), provides for related grant programs, and contains related provisions. The bill provides statutory authority for the Office of Apprenticeship (OA) within DOL. The OA's responsibilities include (1) supporting the development of apprenticeship models; (2) recognizing qualified state apprenticeship agencies, and operating apprenticeship offices in states without a recognized agency; (3) providing technical assistance to state agencies; (4) periodically updating requirements for each occupation in the apprenticeship program and determining whether to approve new occupations for the program; (5) promoting greater diversity in the national apprenticeship system; and (6) awarding grants provided under this bill. The bill also establishes in statute the responsibilities of state apprenticeship agencies and offices, including (1) providing technical assistance to stakeholders, (2) resolving complaints, (3) establishing state performance goals, and (4) including in its written plan a description of how its apprenticeship programs align with the skills needs of the state's employers. The OA shall enter into an agreement with the Department of Education to promote the integration and alignment of apprenticeship programs with secondary, postsecondary, and adult education. The OA shall award grants to eligible entities to (1) expand national apprenticeship system programs, including by expanding pre-apprenticeship and youth apprenticeship programs; (2) encourage employer participation; and (3) strengthen alignment between the apprenticeship system and education providers. The bill provides statutory authority for criteria for various programs, including (1) quality standards for apprenticeships, (2) requirements for apprenticeship agreements between a program sponsor and an apprentice, and (3) acceptable uses for grant funds awarded under this bill. The bill also provides statutory authority for the National Advisory Committee on Apprenticeships. The committee's duties shall include advising the OA on matters relating to this bill and providing recommendations on topics such as increasing the participation of populations not traditionally involved in the national apprenticeship system. DOL shall engage an independent entity to conduct research on ways to improve the management and effectiveness of programs related to the national apprenticeship system.

Respect Graduate Student Workers Act This bill prohibits the National Labor Relations Board from finalizing a specified rule or making a similar rule that excludes student workers at private universities from the definition ofemployeeunder federal labor laws. (Under current law, students paid for services provided at universities in connection with such students' studies are considered employees.)

Independent Labor Secretariat for Fair Trade Deals Act This bill establishes a Labor Secretariat to (1) address transnational issues relating to labor, (2) monitor and enforce labor-related trade agreement provisions, and (3) provide research relating to the effects of trade agreements on jobs and communities in countries covered by such agreements.

Brown v. Board of Education National Historic Site Expansion Act This bill expands the Brown v. Board of Education National Historic Site currently located in Topeka, Kansas, to include additional sites in Clarendon County, South Carolina, and establishes as affiliated areas specified sites in Farmville, Virginia; Wilmington and Hockessin, Delaware; and the District of Columbia.

Brown v. Board of Education National Historic Site Expansion Act This bill expands the Brown v. Board of Education National Historic Site currently located in Topeka, Kansas, to include additional sites in Clarendon County, South Carolina, and establishes as affiliated areas specified sites in Farmville, Virginia; Wilmington and Hockessin, Delaware; and the District of Columbia.

Pullman National Historical Park Act This bill establishes the Pullman National Historical Park in Illinois as a unit of the National Park System. The park shall preserve and interpret * the significant labor, industrial, civil rights, and social history of the park; * the significant architectural structures in the park; and * the role of the Pullman community in the creation of the first national Labor Day holiday. Also, the park shall coordinate * the preservation, protection, and interpretation efforts of the park by the federal government, Illinois, units of local government, and private and nonprofit organizations; and * the management options necessary to ensure these efforts toward the many significant aspects of the park. The park's boundary shall be established by the Department of the Interior, but must not exceed the boundary of the approximately 300-acre Pullman Historic District in Chicago. Upon conveyance by Illinois to Interior, the park shall include * the Pullman Factory Complex, including the Clock Tower Building and rear erecting shops; and * the approximately 13 acres of land on which those structures are located. Interior must complete a general management plan for the park.

Pullman National Historical Park Act This bill establishes the Pullman National Historical Park in Illinois as a unit of the National Park System. The park shall preserve and interpret * the significant labor, industrial, civil rights, and social history of the park; * the significant architectural structures in the park; and * the role of the Pullman community in the creation of the first national Labor Day holiday. Also, the park shall coordinate * the preservation, protection, and interpretation efforts of the park by the federal government, Illinois, units of local government, and private and nonprofit organizations; and * the management options necessary to ensure the protection, preservation, and interpretation of the many significant aspects of the park. The park's boundary shall be established by the Department of the Interior, but must not exceed the boundary of the approximately 300-acre Pullman Historic District in Chicago. Upon conveyance by Illinois to Interior, the park shall include * the Pullman Factory Complex, including the Clock Tower Building and rear erecting shops; and * the approximately 13 acres of land on which those structures are located. Interior must complete a general management plan for the park.

Peter J. McGuire Labor Day Landmark Act This bill designates the Peter J. McGuire Memorial and Peter J. McGuire Gravesite in Pennsauken, New Jersey, as the "Peter J. McGuire Memorial National Historic Landmark." The Department of the Interior may enter into cooperative agreements to provide the public with educational and interpretive facilities and programs concerning the landmark.

National Infrastructure Bank Act of 2020 This bill creates the National Infrastructure Bank to facilitate the long-term financing of infrastructure projects. Specifically, the bank must provide loans to public and private entities for financing, developing, or operating eligible infrastructure projects. An eligible project must have a public sponsor as well as local, regional, or national significance. The bill also provides for various criteria and preferences for purposes of deciding whether to provide a loan, such as whether a project promotes job creation or provides environmental health benefits. Projects that receive such a loan must (1) pay all laborers and mechanics locally prevailing wages, and (2) use only certain U.S.-produced construction materials unless a waiver is secured from the bank. The bank shall issue stock and may also issue bonds and maintain a discount line of credit with the Federal Reserve System. The bank must apply for a national bank charter as soon as is practicable and, once chartered, accept deposits from individuals, corporations, and public entities and pay interest on those deposits. The bill also imposes requirements related to the bank's operation, such as minimum reserve requirements and requirements for handling loan losses. In addition, the bank must facilitate the organization of at least seven regional economic accelerator planning groups to, among other things, identify infrastructure needs and priorities. Within five years, the Government Accountability Office must report on the bank's activities, including the impact of the funded infrastructure projects.

Workforce Data for Analyzing and Tracking Automation Act of 2019 or the Workforce DATA Act This bill provides for a study by the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine on measuring the impact of automation on the workforce. Specifically, the bill requires the Department of Labor to request the academies to enter into an arrangement to conduct a consensus study on how to measure the impact of automation on the workforce, including job creation, job displacement, job retention, and the shifting of skills in demand due to automation. In addition, Labor must establish an advisory board, or form a subcommittee of an existing advisory board, to provide recommendations on addressing the impact of automation on the workforce.

Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act This bill imposes various restrictions related to China's Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous region, including by prohibiting certain imports from Xinjiang and imposing sanctions on those responsible for human rights violations there. Goods manufactured or produced in Xinjiang shall not be entitled to entry into the United States unless Customs and Border Protection (1) determines that the goods were not manufactured by convict labor, forced labor, or indentured labor under penal sanctions; and (2) reports such a determination to Congress and to the public. The President shall periodically report to Congress a list of foreign entities and individuals knowingly facilitating (1) the forced labor of Uyghurs, Kazakhs, Kyrgyz, and members of other Muslim minority groups in Xinjiang; and (2) efforts to contravene U.S. laws regarding the importation of forced labor goods from Xinjiang. The President shall impose property-blocking sanctions on the listed individuals and entities and impose visa-blocking sanctions on the listed individuals. Securities issuers required to file annual or quarterly reports with the Securities Exchange Commission shall disclose in such reports certain information related to Xinjiang, including instances where the issuer knowingly (1) engaged in activities with an entity helping to create mass surveillance systems in Xinjiang, (2) engaged in activities with an entity running or building detention facilities for Muslim minority groups in Xinjiang, or (3) conducted a transaction with any person sanctioned for the detention or abuse of Uyghurs or other Muslim minority groups in Xinjiang. After being notified of such a disclosure, the President shall determine whether to investigate if sanctions or criminal charges are warranted. The Forced Labor Enforcement Task Force and the Department of State shall report to Congress strategies to address forced labor in Xinjiang.