Us Congress 2023-2024 Regular Session

Us Congress House Bill HB7783

Introduced
3/21/24  

Caption

To nullify certain documents issued by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission relating to gender-based workplace discrimination.

Impact

The implications of HB7783 could lead to a reduction in protections for employees who experience harassment or discrimination on the basis of gender or sexual identity. Supporters of the bill argue that the EEOC's guidance overreaches and may impose undue burdens on employers. They believe that removing such guidelines will allow businesses more leeway in managing workplace issues without fear of federal overreach. Conversely, opponents contend that the bill undermines protections that are crucial for fostering an inclusive and safe work environment, particularly for marginalized groups.

Summary

House Bill 7783 aims to nullify specific guidance and fact sheets issued by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) related to gender-based workplace discrimination. The bill specifically targets the 'Proposed Enforcement Guidance on Harassment in the Workplace' and another document regarding protections against employment discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity. By nullifying these documents, the bill seeks to significantly impact how gender-based discrimination cases are interpreted and enforced in the workplace.

Contention

The bill has sparked considerable debate regarding the role of federal agencies in enforcing workplace protections. Proponents argue it restores balance by limiting federal influence over employment practices, while critics warn that it could lead to a resurgence of discrimination and harassment in the workplace. Opponents also express concern that the nullification of these documents might discourage victims from reporting incidents or seeking justice for violations, ultimately undermining the progress made in workplace equality.

Companion Bills

No companion bills found.

Previously Filed As

US HB9228

BE HEARD in the Workplace Act Bringing an End to Harassment by Enhancing Accountability and Rejecting Discrimination in the Workplace Act

US SB4902

BE HEARD in the Workplace Act Bringing an End to Harassment by Enhancing Accountability and Rejecting Discrimination in the Workplace Act

US HB6157

Protections and Transparency in the Workplace Act

US HR1135

Supporting the goals and ideals of the Rise Up for LGBTQI+ Youth in Schools Initiative, a call to action to communities across the country to demand equal educational opportunity, basic civil rights protections, and freedom from erasure for all students, particularly LGBTQI+ young people, in K-12 schools.

US HB15

Equality Act This bill prohibits discrimination based on sex, sexual orientation, or gender identity with respect to businesses, employment, housing, federally funded programs, and other settings. Specifically, the bill expands Title II and Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to prohibit public accommodations and federally funded programs, respectively, from discriminating based on sex, sexual orientation, or gender identity. It also includes stores, transit services, recreational facilities, and establishments that provide health care, accounting, or legal services as public accommodations under Title II. The bill also expands Title IV (desegregation of public schools) and Title VII (employment discrimination) to specifically include sexual orientation and gender identity. (The Supreme Court held in Bostock v. Clayton County that Title VII's prohibition of employment discrimination based on sex also prohibits employment discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity.) The bill similarly expands the Fair Housing Act (discrimination in public and private housing) to include sexual orientation and gender identity. It also prohibits discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity by creditors and with respect to jury selection. The bill defines sex for purposes of the aforementioned provisions to include sex stereotypes, pregnancy, childbirth, sexual orientation, gender identity, and sex characteristics.

US HJR207

Providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission relating to "Implementation of the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act".

US HB7731

GO Ag Act Growing Opportunities in Agriculture Act

US SR240

A resolution affirming that diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility are fundamental values of the United States and emphasizing the ongoing need to address discrimination and inequality in the workplace, pre-K through 12th grade and higher education systems, government programs, the military, and our society.

US HB17

Paycheck Fairness Act This bill addresses wage discrimination on the basis of sex, which is defined to include pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, and sex characteristics. Specifically, it limits an employer's defense that a pay differential is based on a factor other than sex to only bona fide job-related factors in wage discrimination claims, enhances nonretaliation prohibitions, and makes it unlawful to require an employee to sign a contract or waiver prohibiting the employee from disclosing information about the employee's wages. The bill also increases civil penalties for violations of equal pay provisions. Additionally, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs must train EEOC employees and other affected parties on wage discrimination. The bill directs the Department of Labor to (1) establish and carry out a grant program to provide training in negotiation skills related to compensation and equitable working conditions, (2) conduct studies to eliminate pay disparities between men and women, and (3) make available information on wage discrimination to assist the public in understanding and addressing such discrimination. The bill establishes the National Award for Pay Equity in the Workplace for an employer who has made a substantial effort to eliminate pay disparities between men and women. It also establishes the National Equal Pay Enforcement Task Force to address compliance, public education, and enforcement of equal pay laws. Finally, the bill requires the EEOC to issue regulations for collecting from employers compensation and other employment data according to the sex, race, and national origin of employees for use in enforcing laws prohibiting pay discrimination.

US HB15

Equality Act

Similar Bills

No similar bills found.