Restoring Justice for Workers Act

Key Points

• The bill bans companies from requiring workers to sign arbitration agreements before a dispute even happens, ending a common practice that keeps workplace conflicts out of court.
• It also outlaws clauses that stop workers from joining class or group lawsuits, making it easier for groups of employees to jointly challenge things like unpaid wages or discrimination.
• Workers can still choose arbitration after a dispute starts, but only if it is truly voluntary: they get 45 days to decide, a plain-language explanation of their rights, and cannot be punished for refusing.
• The protections apply to independent contractors and gig workers as well as traditional employees, no matter how a company labels them.
• The bill amends federal labor law to make it illegal for employers to retaliate against workers who refuse to give up their right to bring group claims.