Paycheck Fairness Act

Bill: 116-hr-7
Sponsor: Rep. DeLauro, Rosa L. [D-CT-3]
Introduced: 2019-01-30 in the House
Policy area: Labor and Employment
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Civil actions and liability
Contracts and agency
Department of Education
Department of Labor
Employee hiring
Employment discrimination and employee rights
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)
Government information and archives
Government studies and investigations
Labor standards
Public contracts and procurement
Racial and ethnic relations
Sex, gender, sexual orientation discrimination
Small business
Wages and earnings
Women's employment

Summary:
action_date: 2019-01-30
text: 

Paycheck Fairness Act

 
This bill addresses wage discrimination on the basis of sex. It amends equal pay provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 to (1) restrict the use of the bona fide factor defense to wage discrimination claims, (2) enhance nonretaliation prohibitions, (3) make it unlawful to require an employee to sign a contract or waiver prohibiting the employee from disclosing information about the employee's wages, and (4) increase civil penalties for violations of equal pay provisions.
 
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs shall train EEOC employees and other affected parties on wage discrimination. 
The bill directs the Department of Labor to: (1) establish and carry out a grant program for negotiation skills training for girls and women, (2) conduct studies to eliminate pay disparities between men and women, and (3) make available information on wage discrimination to assist the public in understanding and addressing such discrimination. 
The Secretary of Labor's National Award for Pay Equity in the Workplace is established for an employer who has made a substantial effort to eliminate pay disparities between men and women. 
The bill requires the EEOC to issue regulations for collecting from employers compensation and other employment data according to the sex, race, and national origin of employees for use in enforcing laws prohibiting pay discrimination.
action_date: 2019-03-18
text: 

Paycheck Fairness Act

 
This bill addresses wage discrimination on the basis of sex. It amends equal pay provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 to (1) restrict the use of the bona fide factor defense to wage discrimination claims, (2) enhance nonretaliation prohibitions, (3) make it unlawful to require an employee to sign a contract or waiver prohibiting the employee from disclosing information about the employee's wages, and (4) increase civil penalties for violations of equal pay provisions. 
 
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs shall train EEOC employees and other affected parties on wage discrimination. 
The bill directs the Department of Labor to (1) establish and carry out a grant program for negotiation skills training programs to address pay disparities, including through outreach to women and girls; (2) conduct studies to eliminate pay disparities between men and women; and (3) make available information on wage discrimination to assist the public in understanding and addressing such discrimination. 
The Secretary of Labor's National Award for Pay Equity in the Workplace is established for an employer who has made a substantial effort to eliminate pay disparities between men and women. 
The bill requires the EEOC to issue regulations for collecting from employers compensation and other employment data according to the sex, race, and national origin of employees for use in enforcing laws prohibiting pay discrimination.
action_date: 2019-03-27
text: 

Paycheck Fairness Act

 
This bill addresses wage discrimination on the basis of sex. It amends equal pay provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 to (1) restrict the use of the bona fide factor defense to wage discrimination claims, (2) enhance nonretaliation prohibitions, (3) make it unlawful to require an employee to sign a contract or waiver prohibiting the employee from disclosing information about the employee's wages, and (4) increase civil penalties for violations of equal pay provisions. 
 
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs shall train EEOC employees and other affected parties on wage discrimination. 
The bill directs the Department of Labor to (1) establish and carry out a grant program for negotiation skills training programs to address pay disparities, including through outreach to women and girls; (2) conduct studies to eliminate pay disparities between men and women; (3) report on the gender pay gap in the teenage labor workforce; and (4) make available information on wage discrimination to assist the public in understanding and addressing such discrimination. 
The Secretary of Labor's National Award for Pay Equity in the Workplace is established for an employer who has made a substantial effort to eliminate pay disparities between men and women. 
The bill requires the EEOC to issue regulations for collecting from employers compensation and other employment data according to the sex, race, and ethnic identity of employees for use in enforcing laws prohibiting pay discrimination. 
The Bureau of Labor Statistics shall continue collecting data on women workers in the Current Employment Statistics survey. 
The bill sets forth prohibitions and requirements regarding the wage history of prospective employees.

Legislative actions:
action_date: 2019-04-03
text: Read the second time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 53.
action_date: 2019-04-02
text: Read the first time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under Read the First Time.
action_date: 2019-03-28
text: Received in the Senate.
action_date: 2019-03-27
text: Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
action_date: 2019-03-27
text: On passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 242 - 187 (Roll no. 134). (text: CR H2860-2863)
action_date: 2019-03-27
text: Passed/agreed to in House: On passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 242 - 187 (Roll no. 134).(text: CR H2860-2863)
action_date: 2019-03-27
text: On motion to recommit with instructions Failed by recorded vote: 191 - 236 (Roll no. 133).
action_date: 2019-03-27
text: The previous question on the motion to recommit with instructions was ordered without objection.
action_date: 2019-03-27
text: DEBATE - The House proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Foxx motion to recommit with instructions. Pending the reservation of a point of order. The instructions contained in the motion seek to require the bill to be reported back to the House with an amendment to limit any contingent attorney's fees to 49% of any judgement awarded to the plaintiff or plaintiffs. Subsequently, the point of order was withdrawn.
action_date: 2019-03-27
text: Ms. Foxx (NC) moved to recommit with instructions to the Committee on Education and Labor. (text: CR H2872-2874)
action_date: 2019-03-27
text: The House adopted the amendment in the nature of a substitute as agreed to by the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union.
action_date: 2019-03-27
text: The previous question was ordered pursuant to the rule.
action_date: 2019-03-27
text: The House rose from the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union to report H.R. 7.
action_date: 2019-03-27
text: UNFINISHED BUSINESS - The Chair announced that the unfinished business was on adoption of amendment number 7, which was debated earlier and on which further proceedings had been postponed.
action_date: 2019-03-27
text: DEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 252, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Brown (MD) amendment No. 9.
action_date: 2019-03-27
text: DEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 252, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Lawrence amendment No. 8.
action_date: 2019-03-27
text: POSTPONED PROCEEDINGS - At the conclusion of debate on the Beyer amendment, the Chair put the question on the amendment and by voice vote, announced that the ayes had prevailed. Mr. Beyer demanded a recorded vote and the Chair postponed further proceedings on agreeing to the amendment until a time to be announced.
action_date: 2019-03-27
text: DEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 252, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Beyer amendment No. 7.
action_date: 2019-03-27
text: DEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 252, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Jayapal amendment No. 5.
action_date: 2019-03-27
text: DEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 252, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Byrne amendment No. 4.
action_date: 2019-03-27
text: DEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 252, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Torres amendment No. 3.
action_date: 2019-03-27
text: DEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 252, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Torres amendment No. 2.
action_date: 2019-03-27
text: DEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 252, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Foxx amendment No. 1.
action_date: 2019-03-27
text: GENERAL DEBATE - The Committee of the Whole proceeded with one hour of general debate on H.R. 7.
action_date: 2019-03-27
text: The Speaker designated the Honorable Eleanor Holmes Norton to act as Chairwoman of the Committee.
action_date: 2019-03-27
text: House resolved itself into the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union pursuant to H. Res. 252 and Rule XVIII.
action_date: 2019-03-27
text: The resolution provides for one hour debate on H.R. 7 and H.Res. 124.
action_date: 2019-03-27
text: Considered under the provisions of rule H. Res. 252. (consideration: CR H2848-2875)
action_date: 2019-03-25
text: Rules Committee Resolution H. Res. 252 Reported to House. The resolution provides for one hour debate on H.R. 7 and H.Res. 124.
action_date: 2019-03-18
text: Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 6.
action_date: 2019-03-18
text: Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Education and Labor. H. Rept. 116-18.
action_date: 2019-03-18
text: Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Education and Labor. H. Rept. 116-18.
action_date: 2019-02-26
text: Ordered to be Reported in the Nature of a Substitute by the Yeas and Nays: 27 - 20.
action_date: 2019-02-26
text: Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
action_date: 2019-01-30
text: Referred to the House Committee on Education and Labor.
action_date: 2019-01-30
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2019-01-30
text: Introduced in House