Protecting Older Workers Against Discrimination Act of 2021

To amend the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 and other laws to clarify appropriate standards for Federal employment discrimination and retaliation claims, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Protecting Older Workers Against Discrimination Act of 2021 2. Standards of proof (a) Age discrimination in employment Act of 1967 (1) Clarifying prohibition against impermissible consideration of age in employment practices Section 4 of the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 ( 29 U.S.C. 623 (g) (1) Except as otherwise provided in this Act, an unlawful practice is established under this Act when the complaining party demonstrates that age or an activity protected by subsection (d) was a motivating factor for any practice, even though other factors also motivated the practice. (2) In establishing an unlawful practice under this Act, including under paragraph (1) or by any other method of proof, a complaining party— (A) may rely on any type or form of admissible evidence and need only produce evidence sufficient for a reasonable trier of fact to find that an unlawful practice occurred under this Act; and (B) shall not be required to demonstrate that age or an activity protected by subsection (d) was the sole cause of a practice. . (2) Remedies Section 7 of such Act ( 29 U.S.C. 626 (A) in subsection (b)— (i) in the first sentence, by striking The (1) The (ii) in the third sentence, by striking Amounts (2) Amounts ; (iii) in the fifth sentence, by striking Before (4) Before ; and (iv) by inserting before paragraph (4), as designated by clause (iii) of this subparagraph, the following: (3) On a claim in which an individual demonstrates that age was a motivating factor for any employment practice under section 4(g)(1), and a respondent demonstrates that the respondent would have taken the same action in the absence of the impermissible motivating factor, the court— (A) may grant declaratory relief, injunctive relief (except as provided in subparagraph (B)), and attorney’s fees and costs demonstrated to be directly attributable only to the pursuit of a claim under section 4(g)(1); and (B) shall not award damages or issue an order requiring any admission, reinstatement, hiring, promotion, or payment. ; and (B) in subsection (c)(1), by striking Any Subject to subsection (b)(3), any (3) Definitions Section 11 of such Act ( 29 U.S.C. 630 (m) The term demonstrates . (4) Federal employees Section 15 of such Act ( 29 U.S.C. 633a (h) Sections 4(g) and 7(b)(3) shall apply to mixed motive claims (involving practices described in section 4(g)(1)) under this section. . (b) Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (1) Clarifying prohibition against impermissible consideration of race, color, religion, sex, or national origin in employment practices Section 703 of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 ( 42 U.S.C. 2000e–2 (m) Except as otherwise provided in this title, an unlawful employment practice is established when the complaining party demonstrates that race, color, religion, sex, national origin, or an activity protected by section 704(a) was a motivating factor for any employment practice, even though other factors also motivated the practice. . (2) Federal employees Section 717 of such Act ( 42 U.S.C. 2000e–16 (g) Sections 703(m) and 706(g)(2)(B) shall apply to mixed motive cases (involving practices described in section 703(m)) under this section. . (c) Americans With Disabilities Act of 1990 (1) Definitions Section 101 of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 ( 42 U.S.C. 12111 (11) Demonstrates The term dem­on­strates . (2) Clarifying prohibition against impermissible consideration of disability in employment practices Section 102 of such Act ( 42 U.S.C. 12112 (e) Proof (1) Establishment Except as otherwise provided in this Act, a discriminatory practice is established under this Act when the complaining party demonstrates that disability or an activity protected by subsection (a) or (b) of section 503 was a motivating factor for any employment practice, even though other factors also motivated the practice. (2) Demonstration In establishing a discriminatory practice under paragraph (1) or by any other method of proof, a complaining party— (A) may rely on any type or form of admissible evidence and need only produce evidence sufficient for a reasonable trier of fact to find that a discriminatory practice occurred under this Act; and (B) shall not be required to demonstrate that disability or an activity protected by subsection (a) or (b) of section 503 was the sole cause of an employment practice. . (3) Certain anti-retaliation claims Section 503(c) of such Act ( 42 U.S.C. 12203(c) (A) by striking The remedies (1) In general Except as provided in paragraph (2), the remedies ; and (B) by adding at the end the following: (2) Certain anti-retaliation claims Section 107(c) shall apply to claims under section 102(e)(1) with respect to title I. . (4) Remedies Section 107 of such Act ( 42 U.S.C. 12117 (c) Discriminatory motivating factor On a claim in which an individual demonstrates that disability was a motivating factor for any employment practice under section 102(e)(1), and a respondent demonstrates that the respondent would have taken the same action in the absence of the impermissible motivating factor, the court— (1) may grant declaratory relief, injunctive relief (except as provided in paragraph (2)), and attorney’s fees and costs demonstrated to be directly attributable only to the pursuit of a claim under section 102(e)(1); and (2) shall not award damages or issue an order requiring any admission, reinstatement, hiring, promotion, or payment. . (d) Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (1) In general Sections 501(f), 503(d), and 504(d) of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 ( 29 U.S.C. 791(f) title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 ( 42 U.S.C. 12111 , including the standards of causation or methods of proof applied under section 102(e) of that Act ( 42 U.S.C. 12112(e) (2) Federal employees The amendment made by paragraph (1) to section 501(f) of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 ( 29 U.S.C. 791(f) 29 U.S.C. 791 3. Application This Act, and the amendments made by this Act, shall apply to all claims pending on or after the date of enactment of this Act. 4. Severability If any provision of this Act, an amendment made by this Act, or the application of such provision or amendment to any person or circumstance is held to be unconstitutional, the remainder of this Act, the amendments made by this Act, and the application of the provisions of such to any person or circumstance shall not be affected thereby. June 17, 2021 Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed

Summary: Protecting Older Workers Against Discrimination Act of 2021 This bill revises the evidentiary standard for age discrimination by establishing an unlawful employment practice when the complaining party demonstrates that age or participation in an investigation, proceeding, or litigation related to an age discrimination claim was a motivating factor for an adverse practice, even though other factors also motivated the practice (thereby allowing what are commonly known as mixed motive claims). The bill (1) permits the complaining party to rely on any type or form of admissible evidence, which need only be sufficient for a reasonable trier of fact to find that an unlawful practice occurred; and (2) declares that the complaining party shall not be required to demonstrate that age or retaliation was the sole cause of the employment practice (thereby rejecting the Supreme Court's decision in Gross v. FBL Financial Services, Inc., which requires the complainant to prove that age was the but-for cause for the employer's decision). The bill applies this evidentiary standard to other employment discrimination and retaliation claims, including claims under the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Americans With Disabilities Act of 1990, and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. In a claim in which age discrimination is shown, but where the employer demonstrates that it would have taken the same action absent the motivating factor of age, the bill authorizes courts to grant declaratory and injunctive relief, but prohibits the court from awarding damages or issuing an order requiring any admission, reinstatement, hiring, promotion, or payment. This limitation also applies to claims of discrimination based on disability. The bill also includes reporting requirements for the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the Department of Labor.