BE HEARD in the Workplace Act

Key Points

• This bill aims to stop workplace harassment by requiring all businesses with 15 or more workers to have clear anti-discrimination policies and provide regular training for employees and bosses. It also creates a new government office to help educate the public about their rights at work and how to report problems.
• The law would expand legal protections to people who often are not covered by current rules, including independent contractors, interns, and volunteers. It also clarifies that federal law protects workers from being treated unfairly based on their sexual orientation or gender identity.
• It makes it easier for workers to seek justice by extending the deadline to file a discrimination complaint from 180 days to 4 years. It also stops companies from forcing workers into private 'arbitration' and limits the use of 'hush money' agreements that prevent victims from speaking out about harassment.
• For people who rely on tips, like restaurant servers, the bill phases out the lower 'tipped minimum wage' over several years. Eventually, these workers would be guaranteed the full federal minimum wage directly from their employer, while still being allowed to keep all the tips they earn.
• The bill changes the legal standard for proving harassment. Instead of requiring behavior to be 'severe or pervasive' to be illegal, the law would focus on whether the conduct 'unreasonably alters' a person's working conditions. This makes it easier to hold employers accountable for toxic or hostile environments.