Language Access for Workers Act

Bill: 118-hr-8739
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Schiff, Adam B. [D-CA-30]
Introduced: 2024-06-13
Policy area: Labor and Employment
Latest action: action_date: 2024-06-13
text: Referred to the House Committee on Education and the Workforce.

Summaries:

tv_txt: I 118th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 8739 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES June 13, 2024 Mr. Schiff (for himself, Ms. Ocasio-Cortez , Mr. Carson , Mr. Mullin , Mrs. Dingell , Ms. Norton , Ms. Velázquez , Mr. Lynch , and Mr. Grijalva ) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce A BILL To amend the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 to ensure labels or other appropriate forms of warning are provided in English and in the language indicated by each employee exposed to the hazard as the primary language of such employee, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Language Access for Workers Act . 2. Amendment to OSHA Section 6(b)(7) of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 ( 29 U.S.C. 655(b)(7) ) is amended in the first sentence by inserting before the period the following: , including by requiring that such labels or other appropriate forms of warning be provided in English and a language understood by employees reasonably expected to be exposed to the hazard and prepared appropriately for the vocabulary, educational level, and literacy of such employees . 3. Rulemaking Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall amend any standards promulgated pursuant to section 6 of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 ( 29 U.S.C. 655 ) as necessary to comply with the amendment made by section 2. 4. Grants authorized for translation services (a) In general From the amounts appropriated under subsection (e), the Secretary of Labor shall award grants, on a competitive basis, to eligible entities to provide translation or related services to covered individuals to ensure that such individuals receive any contracts, manuals, or training or other instruction related to the employment of such individuals in a language and manner that is understandable to such individuals, including translating any labels or other appropriate forms of warning required by the first sentence of section 6(b)(7). (b) Priority In awarding grants under this section, the Secretary shall give priority to eligible entities that— (1) serve or employ covered individuals in a geographic area with a high population of migrant employees; or (2) serve or employ covered individuals in the agricultural or service industry. (c) Application To be eligible to receive a grant under this section, an eligible entity shall prepare and submit to the Secretary an application at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may require, which shall include a description of how the eligible entity proposes to use the grant to assist covered individuals. (d) Reports (1) Report to the Secretary An eligible entity that receives a grant under this section shall submit to the Secretary, and the Bureau of the Census, a report, on a annual basis, on the number of covered individuals assisted with such grant, disaggregated by the occupation or industry sector, and the type of assistance provided to such individuals with such grant. (2) Report to Congress The Secretary shall submit to Congress each report received under paragraph (1). (e) Definitions In this Act: (1) Eligible entity The term eligible entity means an employer, nonprofit organization, an employment provider, an employer association, or a labor organization, for which covered individuals comprise at least 40 percent of the individuals who are employed or served by such employer or other entity. (2) Covered individual The term covered individual means an individual— (A) who is employed or is seeking employment; (B) who has limited ability in reading, writing, speaking, or comprehending the English language; and (C) (i) whose native language is a language other than English; or (ii) who lives in a family or community environment where a language other than English is the dominant language. (3) Secretary The term Secretary means the Secretary of Labor.