UT
Utah Senate Bill SB0086

Utah 2025 Regular Session

Utah Senate Bill SB0086 Compare Versions

OldNewDifferences
1-Enrolled Copy S.B. 86
1+02-05 09:47 1st Sub. (Green) S.B. 86
2+Jen Plumb proposes the following substitute bill:
23 1
34 Workplace Protection Amendments
45 2025 GENERAL SESSION
56 STATE OF UTAH
67 Chief Sponsor: Jen Plumb
7-House Sponsor: Andrew Stoddard
8+House Sponsor:
89 2
910
1011 3
1112 LONG TITLE
1213 4
1314 General Description:
1415 5
1516 This bill amends provisions relating to employment.
1617 6
1718 Highlighted Provisions:
1819 7
1920 This bill:
2021 8
22+▸ reduces the number of employees a person may employ before being considered an
23+9
24+employer subject to the Utah Antidiscrimination Act for employment; and
25+10
2126 ▸ amends the definition of sexual harassment.
22-9
27+11
2328 Money Appropriated in this Bill:
24-10
25-None
26-11
27-Other Special Clauses:
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2930 None
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32+Other Special Clauses:
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34+None
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3136 Utah Code Sections Affected:
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37+16
3338 AMENDS:
34-15
39+17
3540 34A-5-102, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2024, Chapter 158
36-16
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3742 34A-5-114, as enacted by Laws of Utah 2024, Chapter 95
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3944
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45+20
4146 Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
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4348 Section 1. Section 34A-5-102 is amended to read:
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4550 34A-5-102 . Definitions -- Unincorporated entities -- Joint employers --
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4752 Franchisors.
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4954 (1) As used in this chapter:
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55+25
5156 (a) "Affiliate" means the same as that term is defined in Section 16-6a-102.
52-24
57+26
5358 (b) "Apprenticeship" means a program for the training of apprentices including a
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5560 program providing the training of those persons defined as apprentices by Section
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5762 35A-6-102.
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5964 (c) "Bona fide occupational qualification" means a characteristic applying to an
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61-employee that: S.B. 86 Enrolled Copy
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65+1st Sub. S.B. 86 1st Sub. (Green) S.B. 86 02-05 09:47
66+30
67+employee that:
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6369 (i) is necessary to the operation; or
64-30
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6571 (ii) is the essence of the employee's employer's business.
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6773 (d) "Court" means a court with jurisdiction under Title 78A, Judiciary and Judicial
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6975 Administration.
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7177 (e) "Director" means the director of the division.
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7379 (f) "Disability" means a physical or mental disability as defined and covered by the
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7581 Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, 42 U.S.C. Sec. 12102.
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7783 (g) "Division" means the Division of Antidiscrimination and Labor.
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84+39
7985 (h) "Employee" means a person applying with or employed by an employer.
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8187 (i)(i) "Employer" means:
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8389 (A) the state;
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8591 (B) a political subdivision;
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8793 (C) a board, commission, department, institution, school district, trust, or agent of
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8995 the state or a political subdivision of the state; or
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91-(D) a person employing [15] 15 or more employees within the state for each
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97+(D) a person employing [15 Ŝ→ five] 15 ←Ŝ or more employees within the state for each
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9399 working day in each of 20 calendar weeks or more in the current or preceding
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95101 calendar year.
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97103 (ii) "Employer" does not include:
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99105 (A) a religious organization, a religious corporation sole, a religious association, a
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101107 religious society, a religious educational institution, or a religious leader, when
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103109 that individual is acting in the capacity of a religious leader;
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105111 (B) any corporation or association constituting an affiliate, a wholly owned
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107113 subsidiary, or an agency of any religious organization, religious corporation
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109115 sole, religious association, or religious society; or
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111117 (C) the Boy Scouts of America or its councils, chapters, or subsidiaries.
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113119 (j) "Employment agency" means a person:
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115121 (i) undertaking to procure employees or opportunities to work for any other person; or
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117123 (ii) holding the person out to be equipped to take an action described in Subsection
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119125 (1)(j)(i).
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121127 (k) "Federal executive agency" means an executive agency, as defined in 5 U.S.C. Sec.
122-59
128+61
123129 105, of the federal government.
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125131 (l) "Franchise" means the same as that term is defined in 16 C.F.R. Sec. 436.1.
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127133 (m) "Franchisee" means the same as that term is defined in 16 C.F.R. Sec. 436.1.
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134+- 2 - 02-05 09:47 1st Sub. (Green) S.B. 86
135+64
129136 (n) "Franchisor" means the same as that term is defined in 16 C.F.R. Sec. 436.1.
130-- 2 - Enrolled Copy S.B. 86
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132138 (o) "Gender identity" has the meaning provided in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual
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134140 (DSM-5). A person's gender identity can be shown by providing evidence, including,
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136142 but not limited to, medical history, care or treatment of the gender identity, consistent
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138144 and uniform assertion of the gender identity, or other evidence that the gender
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140146 identity is sincerely held, part of a person's core identity, and not being asserted for
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142148 an improper purpose.
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144150 (p) "Joint apprenticeship committee" means an association of representatives of a labor
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146152 organization and an employer providing, coordinating, or controlling an apprentice
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148154 training program.
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150156 (q) "Labor organization" means an organization that exists for the purpose in whole or in
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152158 part of:
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154160 (i) collective bargaining;
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156162 (ii) dealing with employers concerning grievances, terms or conditions of
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158164 employment; or
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160166 (iii) other mutual aid or protection in connection with employment.
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162168 (r) "National origin" means the place of birth, domicile, or residence of an individual or
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164170 of an individual's ancestors.
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166172 (s) "On-the-job-training" means a program designed to instruct a person who, while
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168174 learning the particular job for which the person is receiving instruction:
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170176 (i) is also employed at that job; or
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172178 (ii) may be employed by the employer conducting the program during the course of
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174180 the program, or when the program is completed.
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176182 (t) "Person" means:
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178184 (i) one or more individuals, partnerships, associations, corporations, legal
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180186 representatives, trusts or trustees, or receivers;
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182188 (ii) the state; and
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184190 (iii) a political subdivision of the state.
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186192 (u) "Pregnancy, childbirth, or pregnancy-related conditions" includes breastfeeding or
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188194 medical conditions related to breastfeeding.
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190196 (v) "Presiding officer" means the same as that term is defined in Section 63G-4-103.
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192198 (w) "Prohibited employment practice" means a practice specified as discriminatory, and
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194200 therefore unlawful, in Section 34A-5-106.
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196202 (x) "Religious leader" means an individual who is associated with, and is an authorized
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203+- 3 - 1st Sub. (Green) S.B. 86 02-05 09:47
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198205 representative of, a religious organization or association or a religious corporation
199-- 3 - S.B. 86 Enrolled Copy
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201207 sole, including a member of clergy, a minister, a pastor, a priest, a rabbi, an imam, or
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203209 a spiritual advisor.
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205211 (y) "Retaliate" means the taking of adverse action by an employer, employment agency,
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207213 labor organization, apprenticeship program, on-the-job training program, or
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209215 vocational school against one of its employees, applicants, or members because the
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211217 employee, applicant, or member:
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213219 (i) opposes an employment practice prohibited under this chapter; or
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215221 (ii) files charges, testifies, assists, or participates in any way in a proceeding,
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217223 investigation, or hearing under this chapter.
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219225 (z) "Sexual orientation" means an individual's actual or perceived orientation as
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221227 heterosexual, homosexual, or bisexual.
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223229 (aa) "Undue hardship" means an action that requires significant difficulty or expense
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225231 when considered in relation to factors such as the size of the entity, the entity's
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227233 financial resources, and the nature and structure of the entity's operation.
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229235 (bb) "Unincorporated entity" means an entity organized or doing business in the state
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231237 that is not:
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233239 (i) an individual;
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235241 (ii) a corporation; or
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237243 (iii) publicly traded.
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239245 (cc) "Vocational school" means a school or institution conducting a course of
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241247 instruction, training, or retraining to prepare individuals to follow an occupation or
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243249 trade, or to pursue a manual, technical, industrial, business, commercial, office,
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245251 personal services, or other nonprofessional occupations.
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247253 (2)(a) For purposes of this chapter, an unincorporated entity that is required to be
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249255 licensed under Title 58, Chapter 55, Utah Construction Trades Licensing Act, is
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251257 presumed to be the employer of each individual who, directly or indirectly, holds an
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253259 ownership interest in the unincorporated entity.
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255261 (b) Pursuant to rules made by the commission in accordance with Title 63G, Chapter 3,
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257263 Utah Administrative Rulemaking Act, an unincorporated entity may rebut the
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259265 presumption under Subsection (2)(a) for an individual by establishing by clear and
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261267 convincing evidence that the individual:
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263269 (i) is an active manager of the unincorporated entity;
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265271 (ii) directly or indirectly holds at least an 8% ownership interest in the unincorporated
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272+- 4 - 02-05 09:47 1st Sub. (Green) S.B. 86
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267274 entity; or
268-- 4 - Enrolled Copy S.B. 86
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270276 (iii) is not subject to supervision or control in the performance of work by:
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272278 (A) the unincorporated entity; or
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274280 (B) a person with whom the unincorporated entity contracts.
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276282 (c) As part of the rules made under Subsection (2)(b), the commission may define:
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278284 (i) "active manager";
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280286 (ii) "directly or indirectly holds at least an 8% ownership interest"; and
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282288 (iii) "subject to supervision or control in the performance of work."
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284290 (3) For purposes of determining whether two or more persons are considered joint
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286292 employers under this chapter, an administrative ruling of a federal executive agency may
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288294 not be considered a generally applicable law unless that administrative ruling is
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290296 determined to be generally applicable by a court of law, or adopted by statute or rule.
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292298 (4)(a) For purposes of this chapter, a franchisor is not considered to be an employer of:
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294300 (i) a franchisee; or
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296302 (ii) a franchisee's employee.
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298304 (b) With respect to a specific claim for relief under this chapter made by a franchisee or
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300306 a franchisee's employee, this Subsection (4) does not apply to a franchisor under a
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302308 franchise that exercises a type or degree of control over the franchisee or the
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304310 franchisee's employee not customarily exercised by a franchisor for the purpose of
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306312 protecting the franchisor's trademarks and brand.
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308314 (5) Notwithstanding Title 78B, Chapter 3a, Venue for Civil Actions, a person shall bring an
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310316 action under this chapter in the judicial district in which the asserted unfair employment
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312318 practice occurs if the action is brought in the district court.
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314-Section 2. Section 34A-5-114 is amended to read:
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320+Section 3. Section 34A-5-114 is amended to read:
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316322 34A-5-114 . Limitations on enforceability of nondisclosure and
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318324 non-disparagement clauses -- Retaliation prohibited.
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320326 (1) As used in this section:
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322328 (a) "Confidentiality clause" means a nondisclosure clause or a non-disparagement clause.
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324330 (b) "Employee" means a current or a former employee.
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326332 (c) "Nondisclosure clause" means an agreement between an employee and employer that[:]
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328334 [(i)] prevents, or has the effect of preventing, an employee from disclosing or
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330336 discussing:
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332338 [(A)] (i) sexual assault;
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334340 [(B)] (ii) allegations of sexual assault;
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336343 [(C)] (iii) sexual harassment; or
337-- 5 - S.B. 86 Enrolled Copy
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339345 [(D)] (iv) allegations of sexual harassment.
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341347 (d) "Non-disparagement clause" means an agreement between an employee and
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343349 employer that prohibits, or has the effect of prohibiting, an employee from making a
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345351 negative statement that is:
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347353 (i) about the employer; and
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349355 (ii) related to:
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351357 (A) a claim of sexual assault or sexual harassment;
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353359 (B) a sexual assault dispute; or
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355361 (C) a sexual harassment dispute.
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357363 (e) "Post-employment restrictive covenant" means the same as that term is defined in
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359365 Section 34-51-102.
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361367 (f) "Proprietary information" means an employer's business plan or customer
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363369 information.
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365371 (g) "Retaliate" means taking an adverse action against an employee because the
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367373 employee made an allegation of sexual harassment or assault, including:
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369375 (i) discharge;
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371377 (ii) suspension;
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373379 (iii) demotion; or
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375381 (iv) discrimination in the terms, conditions, or privileges of employment.
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377383 (h) "Sexual assault" means:
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379385 (i) conduct that would constitute a violation of 18 U.S.C. Secs. 2241 through 2244; or
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381387 (ii) criminal conduct described in Title 76, Chapter 5, Part 4, Sexual Offenses.
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383389 (i) "Sexual assault dispute" means a dispute between an employer and the employer's
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385391 employee relating to alleged sexual assault.
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387393 [(j) "Sexual harassment" means conduct that is a violation of:]
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389395 [(i) Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, 42 U.S.C. Sec. 2000e et seq.; or]
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391397 [(ii) Subsection 34A-5-106(1)(a)(i) prohibiting harassment on the basis of sex, sexual
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393399 orientation, or gender.]
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395401 (j) "Sexual harassment" means harassment on the basis of sex, sexual orientation, or
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397403 gender, as prohibited in:
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399-(i) Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, 42 U.S.C. Sec. 2000e et seq.; or
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405+(i) Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, 42 U.S.C. Sec. 200e et seq.; or
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401407 (ii) Subsection 34A-5-106(1)(a)(i).
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403409 (k) "Sexual harassment dispute" means a dispute between an employer and the
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405412 employer's employee relating to alleged sexual harassment.
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408414 (2)(a) A confidentiality clause regarding sexual misconduct, as a condition of
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410416 employment, is against public policy and is void and unenforceable.
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412418 (b) After an employee makes an allegation of sexual harassment or sexual assault, an
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414420 employer of any sized business, regardless of Subsection 34-5-102(1)(i)(D):
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416422 (i) may not retaliate against the employee because the employee made an allegation
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418424 of sexual harassment or assault; or
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420426 (ii) may not retaliate based on an employee's refusal to enter into a confidentiality
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422428 clause or an employment contract that, as a condition of employment, contains a
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424430 confidentiality clause.
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426432 (c) An employee may, within three business days after the day on which the employee
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428434 agrees to a settlement agreement that includes a confidentiality clause regarding
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430436 sexual misconduct, withdraw from the settlement agreement.
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432438 (3) An employer who attempts to enforce a confidentiality clause in violation of this section:
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434440 (a) is liable for all costs, including reasonable attorney fees, resulting from legal action
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436442 to enforce the confidentiality clause; and
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438444 (b) is not entitled to monetary damages resulting from a breach of a confidentiality
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440446 clause.
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442448 (4) This section does not:
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444450 (a) prohibit an agreement between an employee who alleges sexual assault or sexual
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446452 harassment and an employer from containing a nondisclosure clause, a
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448454 non-disparagement clause, or any other clause prohibiting disclosure of:
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450456 (i) the amount of a monetary settlement; or
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452458 (ii) at the request of the employee, facts that could reasonably lead to the
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454460 identification of the employee;
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456462 (b) prohibit an employer from requiring an employee to:
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458464 (i) sign a post-employment restrictive covenant; or
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460466 (ii) agree not to disclose an employer's non-public trade secrets, proprietary
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462468 information, or confidential information that does not involve illegal acts;
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464470 (c) authorize an employee to:
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466472 (i) disclose data otherwise protected by law or legal privilege; or
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468474 (ii) knowingly make statements or disclosures that are false or made with reckless
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470476 disregard of the truth;
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472478 (d) prohibit an employee from discussing sexual misconduct or allegations of sexual
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474481 misconduct in a civil or criminal case when subpoenaed if the sexual misconduct or
475-- 7 - S.B. 86 Enrolled Copy
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477483 allegations of sexual misconduct are against the individual whom the employee
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479485 alleged engaged in sexual misconduct;
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481487 (e) permit a disclosure that would violate state or federal law; or
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483489 (f) limit other grounds that may exist at law or in equity for the unenforceability of a
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485491 confidentiality clause.
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487-Section 3. Effective Date.
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493+Section 13. Effective Date.
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489495 This bill takes effect on May 7, 2025.
490496 - 8 -