Locked Out Workers Healthcare Protection Act
Bill: S.4289 | Sponsor: Sen. Brown, Sherrod (D-OH)
Policy area: Labor and Employment

Summary:
Locked Out Workers Healthcare Protection Act
This bill prohibits an employer from terminating or altering the employer-provided health insurance coverage of an employee during the period that the employer is taking action to lock out, suspend, or otherwise withhold employment from the employee in order to influence the position of such employee or the representative of such employee in collective bargaining prior to a strike.
An employer that violates this prohibition is generally subject to a maximum civil penalty of $75,000 for each violation.

To prohibit an employer from terminating the coverage of an employee 
under a group health plan while the employer is engaged in a lock-out, 
                        and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Locked Out Workers Healthcare 
Protection Act''.

SEC. 2. CONTINUATION OF COVERAGE UNDER A GROUP HEALTH PLAN DURING A 
              LOCK-OUT.

    (a) In General.--Section 8(a) of the National Labor Relations Act 
(29 U.S.C. 158(a)) is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (5), by striking the period and inserting 
        ``; and''; and
            (2) by adding at the end the following:
            ``(6) to terminate or alter the coverage of an employee 
        under a group health plan during the period that such employer 
        is taking action to lock-out, suspend, or otherwise withhold 
        employment from the employee in order to influence the position 
        of such employee or the representative of such employee in 
        collective bargaining prior to a strike.''.
    (b) Definitions.--Section 2 of the National Labor Relations Act (29 
U.S.C. 152) is amended by adding at the end the following:
    ``(15) The term `group health plan' has the meaning given the term 
under section 607(1) of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 
1974 (29 U.S.C. 1167(1)).''.
    (c) Penalties.--Section 12 of the National Labor Relations Act (29 
U.S.C. 162) is amended--
            (1) by striking ``Sec. 12. Any person'' and inserting the 
        following:

``SEC. 12. PENALTIES.

    ``(a) Violations for Interference With the Board.--Any person''; 
and
            (2) by adding at the end the following:
    ``(b) Civil Penalties for Unfair Labor Practices Related to 
Coverage Under a Group Health Plan During a Lock-Out.--Any employer who 
commits an unfair labor practice within the meaning of section 8(a)(6) 
shall be subject to a civil penalty in an amount not to exceed $75,000 
for each violation, except that, with respect to such an unfair labor 
practice that coincides with the discharge of an employee or that 
results in other serious economic harm to an employee, the Board shall 
double the amount of such penalty, to an amount not to exceed $150,000, 
in any case where the employer has within the preceding 5 years 
committed another violation of section 8(a)(6). A civil penalty under 
this subsection shall be in addition to any other remedy ordered by the 
Board.
    ``(c) Considerations.--In determining the amount of any civil 
penalty under subsection (b) or (d), the Board shall consider--
            ``(1) the gravity of the actions of the employer resulting 
        in the penalty, including the impact of such actions on the 
        charging party or on other persons seeking to exercise rights 
        guaranteed by this Act;
            ``(2) the size of the employer;
            ``(3) the history of previous unfair labor practices or 
        other actions by the employer resulting in a penalty; and
            ``(4) the public interest.
    ``(d) Director and Officer Liability.--If the Board determines, 
based on the particular facts and circumstances presented, that a 
director or officer's personal liability is warranted, a civil penalty 
for a violation described in subsection (b) may also be assessed 
against any director or officer of the employer who directed or 
committed the violation, or had actual or constructive knowledge of and 
the authority to prevent the violation and failed to prevent the 
violation.''.
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