Striking Workers Healthcare Protection Act

Bill: 117-hr-6557
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Axne, Cynthia [D-IA-3]
Introduced: 2022-02-02
Policy area: Labor and Employment
Subjects: Civil actions and liability

Employee benefits and pensions

Employment discrimination and employee rights

Health care costs and insurance

Labor-management relations
Latest action: action_date: 2022-02-02
text: Referred to the House Committee on Education and Labor.

Summaries:
action_date: 2022-02-02
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p><strong>Striking Workers Healthcare Protection Act</strong></p> <p>This bill prohibits an employer from terminating or significantly altering the employer-provided health insurance coverage of an employee engaged in a lawful strike. An employer that violates this prohibition is subject to a maximum civil penalty of $50,000 for each violation.</p>

tv_txt: I 117th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 6557 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES February 2, 2022 Mrs. Axne (for herself, Mr. Cohen , Mr. Higgins of New York , Mr. Levin of Michigan , Mr. McGovern , Mr. Pascrell , Ms. Sánchez , and Ms. Williams of Georgia ) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education and Labor A BILL To prohibit an employer from terminating the coverage of an employee under a group health plan while the employee is engaged in a lawful strike, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Striking Workers Healthcare Protection Act . 2. Continuation of coverage under a group health plan during a lawful strike (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 significantly alter the coverage of an employee under a group health plan during the period that such employee is engaged in a lawful 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: 12. Penalties (a) Violations for interference with the board Any person ; and (2) by adding the following: (b) Civil penalties for unfair labor practices 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 $50,000 for each such violation, except that, with respect to an unfair labor practice within the meaning of section 8(a)(6) that relates to the discharge of an employee or other serious economic harm to an employee, the Board shall double the amount of such penalty, to an amount not to exceed $100,000, in any case where the employer has within the preceding 5 years committed another such 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 this section, 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 the 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 this section 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. .