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Congress·In Committee·S. 2731

Congress weighs letting striking and locked-out workers collect unemployment after a 14-day wait

Empowering Striking Workers Act of 2025

7 months ago·View on Congress.gov
⏸

Stalled

No legislative action in over 90 days.

Legislative Progress

Senate
House
President
Law

Key Points

  • Would let workers get unemployment checks even if they are out of work because of a strike or lockout.
  • Benefits could start after a waiting period: 14 days after a strike begins, when a lockout begins, when permanent replacements are hired, or when the dispute ends and the worker is still unemployed—whichever happens first.
  • Covers not only workers directly on strike, but also some people who can’t work because of the dispute indirectly (for example, work stops because the workplace is shut down).
  • Changes federal rules so state unemployment programs can pay these benefits, and waives the usual “available for work” requirement for these workers.
  • If passed, this could change the financial pressure during labor disputes by giving workers a basic income source while they are not working.
Labor EmploymentTaxes

Impact Analysis

Personal Impact

How this policy affects specific groups of people

Mixed Impacts(1)
Small Business Owner
Neutral
Positive Impacts(7)
Union Member
Helps
Unemployment Benefits
Helps
Housing Assistance
Helps
Chronic Illness
Helps
Child Tax Credit
Helps
Renter
Helps
Homeowner
Helps

Milestones

2 milestones2 actions
Sep 8, 2025Senate

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.

Sep 8, 2025

Introduced in Senate

What Happens Next

Projected impacts based on AI analysis

After the bill becomes law; likely within months as states update systems and guidance

States update unemployment rules so strike/lockout-related claims can be paid under the new eligibility rule

Workers in covered labor disputes could start qualifying for unemployment after the required trigger date, instead of being blocked just because a dispute is happening

Day 14 of an ongoing strike, once the new rules are in effect

Unemployment payments begin for eligible strikers 14 days after a strike starts (if the strike is ongoing)

Workers who walk out could have a predictable point when some income support may start, which can affect how households budget during a dispute

As soon as a lockout begins, once the new rules are in effect

Unemployment payments begin for eligible workers at the start of a lockout

If an employer locks workers out, affected workers may be able to apply right away rather than waiting out a strike period

When permanent replacements are hired, once the new rules are in effect

Unemployment payments may start earlier if an employer hires permanent replacement workers

Workers could become eligible sooner in disputes where permanent replacements are brought in, providing faster income support

Source Information

Document Type

Congressional Bill

Official Title

Empowering Striking Workers Act of 2025

Bill NumberS 2731
Congress119th Congress
ChamberSenate
Latest ActionRead twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.

Sponsor

Cosponsors

(3)
D: 3

Analysis generated by AI. Always verify with official sources.