jiayi-li23/proxann_data huggingface dataset:
Topic: Labor — Labor Unions
Subject: Labor and employment
Date: 2015-07-29 00:00:00

Payroll Fraud Prevention Act of 2015

 This bill amends the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 (FLSA) to require every person (including every employer and enterprise) that employs an employee or non-employee who performs labor or services, including through an entity such as a trust, estate, partnership, association, company, or corporation, to: (1) classify such individuals accurately as employees or non-employees; and (2) notify each new employee and new non-employee of his or her classification as an employee or non-employee, together with information concerning their legal rights.

Makes it unlawful for any person to: (1) discharge or otherwise discriminate against an individual (including an employee) who has opposed any practice, or filed a complaint or instituted any proceeding related to this Act, including with respect to an individual's status as an employee or non-employee; and (2) wrongly classify an employee as a non-employee.

Doubles the amount of liquidated damages for maximum hours, minimum wage, and notice of classification violations by an employer. Subjects a person who: (1) violates such requirements (including recordkeeping requirements) to a civil penalty of up to $1,100; or (2) repeatedly or willfully violates such requirements to a civil penalty of up to $5,000 for each violation.

Directs the Department of Labor (DOL) to establish a single webpage on the Department of Labor website that summarizes the rights of employees and non-employees under the FLSA and this Act.

Amends the Social Security Act to require, as a condition for a federal grant for the administration of state unemployment compensation, for the state's unemployment compensation law to include a provision for: (1) auditing programs that identify employers that have not registered under the state law or that are paying unreported compensation where the effect is to exclude employees from unemployment compensation coverage, and (2) establishing administrative penalties for misclassifying employees or paying unreported unemployment compensation to employees.

Requires any office, administration, or division of DOL to report any misclassification of an employee by a person subject to the FLSA that it discovers to the Department's Wage and Hour Division (WHD). Authorizes the WHD to report such information to the Internal Revenue Service.
Topic: Labor — Labor Unions
Subject: Labor and employment
Date: 2015-07-30 00:00:00

Layoff Prevention Extension Act of 2015

This bill amends the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012 with respect to state short-time compensation programs that allow employers to reduce the workweek of their employees in lieu of layoffs. The bill: (1) extends federal financing of the programs for an additional two years; and (2) extends through December 31, 2016, the deadline for a state to submit to the Department of Labor its application for a short-time compensation program grant.
Topic: Labor — Labor Unions
Subject: Labor and employment
Date: 2015-09-09 00:00:00

Protecting Local Business Opportunity Act

This bill amends the National Labor Relations Act to allow two or more employers to be considered joint employers for purposes of the Act only if each shares and exercises control over essential terms and conditions of employment and such control over these matters is actual, direct, and immediate.
Topic: Labor — Labor Unions
Subject: Taxation
Date: 2015-09-17 00:00:00

Civil Justice Tax Fairness Act of 2015 

This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow: (1) an exclusion from gross income for amounts received (whether by judgment or settlement, as lump sums or periodic payments) on account of a claim of unlawful discrimination; (2) income averaging for backpay or frontpay amounts received from such claims; and (3) an exemption from the alternative minimum tax (AMT) for any tax benefit resulting from the income averaging of amounts received from an unlawful discrimination claim.
Topic: Labor — Labor Unions
Subject: Labor and employment
Date: 2015-09-28 00:00:00

Protecting American Jobs Act 

 Amends the National Labor Relations Act to repeal the authority of the General Counsel of the National Labor Relations Board to issue, and prosecute before the Board, complaints with respect to unfair labor practices.

Repeals the prohibition against: (1) review of an administrative law judge's report by any person other than a Board member or legal assistant; and (2) advice to or consultation with the Board by an administrative law judge with respect to exceptions taken to his or her findings, rulings, or recommendations.

Limits the Board's rulemaking authority to rules concerning the internal functions of the Board. Prohibits the Board from promulgating rules or regulations that affect the substantive or procedural rights of a person, employer, employee, or labor organization, including those concerning unfair labor practices and representation elections.

Revises Board powers to grant it the authority to investigate unfair labor practices, but repeals its power to prevent any person from engaging in them.

Repeals the Board's power to issue a complaint against a person charging an unfair labor practice. Allows an aggrieved person to bring a civil action for relief (including an injunction) in U.S. district court or the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia in cases where it appears that a person has engaged, is engaging, or is about to engage in an unfair labor practice
Topic: Labor — Labor Unions
Subject: Labor and employment
Date: 2015-11-19 00:00:00

Driver Fatigue Prevention Act

 This bill amends the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 to apply its maximum hours requirements to over-the-road bus drivers.
Topic: Labor — Labor Unions
Subject: Labor and employment
Date: 2016-03-03 00:00:00

Pay Stub Disclosure Act

This bill amends the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 to require each employer to provide an initial disclosure to each employee who is not subject to exemption from minimum wage and maximum hour requirements within 15 days after: (1) the employee is hired, or (2) specified information in the initial disclosure changes.

The information specified in that initial disclosure shall include:

 the pay rate and form of compensation; the name of the employer and any other name used by the employer to conduct business; and the physical address and telephone number of the employer's main office or principal place of business, and a mailing address if different from the first one. The bill specifies additional disclosures that must be in each pay stub, including the pay period covered, the employee's name, the total hours worked by the employee, benefits, allowances, and reimbursements.

The bill also prescribes the form of the pay stub as well as employer notice requirements.

An employer shall keep records of the information disclosed in an employee's pay stub for three years from each stub's issuance.

In the event that an employee who is not subject to minimum wage and maximum hourexemptions requests an inspection of his or her records, the employer shall provide copies of them for up to three years before the request.

The bill prescribes civil penalties for employer failure to comply with this Act.
Topic: Labor — Labor Unions
Subject: Labor and employment
Date: 2016-03-15 00:00:00

Protecting Local Business Opportunity Act

This bill amends the National Labor Relations Act to allow two or more employers to be considered joint employers for purposes of the Act only if each shares and exercises control over essential terms and conditions of employment and such control over these matters is actual, direct, and immediate.
Topic: Labor — Labor Unions
Subject: Labor and employment
Date: 2016-03-16 00:00:00

Wage Theft Prevention and Wage Recovery Act

This bill amends the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 to require employers engaged in commerce, or in the production of goods for commerce, to make certain disclosures to employees about their employment, including a paystub corresponding to work the employee performed during the applicable pay period, and make final payments to a terminating employee for uncompensated hours the employee has worked.

An employer shall compensate an employee at the rate specified in an employment contract or other employment agreement, including a collective bargaining agreement, that specifies a rate of pay higher than the minimum wage rate.

The bill revises penalty requirements to:

 increase to double the amount of unpaid wages or unpaid overtime compensation the damages an employer must pay for violating minimum wage or maximum hour rules, plus interest; increase to treble damages the penalty for retaliatory discrimination against or discharge of a whistleblowing employee; repeal the requirement that an employee consent in writing to become a party plaintiff in an action to recover damages from an employer for all such violations; prohibit waiver of the right to bring an action, including a collective action, by an employee as a condition of employment or in a pre-dispute arbitration agreement; and direct the Department of Labor to refer any case involving a covered offender to the Department of Justice for prosecution. In the event that an employee requests an inspection of his or her records for accuracy of wage payments, the employer shall give the employee a copy of the records covering a period of up to five years prior to the request.

The Portal-to-Portal Act of 1947 is amended to:

 increase the statute of limitations for causes of action under that Act, the Walsh-Healy Act, or the Bacon-Davis Act with respect to unpaid wages, unpaid overtime compensation, or damages; and deem the statute of limitations tolled for such an action between notification of an employer that an investigation or enforcement action has begun to notification to the employer that the matter has been officially resolved. Acting through the Wage and Hour Division, Labor shall award grants to assist eligible entities in enhancing the enforcement of wage and hour laws.

The Government Accountability Office shall identify successful programs carried out by such grants, especially elements, policies, or procedures that can be replicated by other grant-receiving programs.
Topic: Transportation — Railroad Travel
Subject: Transportation and public works
Date: 2007-01-04 00:00:00

Neighborhood Rail Accountability Act - Amends federal transportation law to require the Surface Transportation Board, in determining whether to issue a certificate authorizing the construction of an additional railroad line or of an extension to any railroad line, to: (1) give greater weight to local official statements and public comments in opposition to the proposed construction (especially construction in a residential area) if there is an unusually high level of public opposition; and (2) identify any disproportionate negative impacts on any socioeconomic population, including a discussion of alternatives that were considered that would have avoided such impacts. Prescribes procedural requirements for dealing with any false or incorrect information provided by an applicant for a certificate for construction.
Topic: Transportation — Railroad Travel
Subject: Transportation and public works
Date: 2007-01-17 00:00:00

Rail Transit Security and Safety Act of 2007 - Directs the Under Secretary for Border and Transportation Security to complete a vulnerability assessment of freight and passenger rail transportation, and develop specific prioritized recommendations for improving rail security. Directs the Under Secretary to establish the position of Federal Rail Security Manager. Authorizes the Secretary of Transportation to make grants to Amtrak for certain fire and life-safety improvements and infrastructure upgrades to tunnels on the Northeast Corridor. Directs the Secretary of Homeland Security to award grants directly to public transportation agencies for allowable capital and operational security improvements based on the prioritized rail security recommendations. Sets forth certain whistleblower protections for rail employees or other persons who have provided information or otherwise assisted in any investigation regarding certain conduct, or who have refused to violate or assist in the violation of any regulation related to public transportation security. Directs the Secretary of Homeland Security to make grants to railroad carriers for costs incurred in instituting a rail worker emergency training program.
Topic: Transportation — Railroad Travel
Subject: Transportation and public works
Date: 2007-02-13 00:00:00

Ari's Law - Directs the Secretary of Transportation to provide railroad safety grants to local government units that own or control land along a railroad right-of-way or to any other person providing railroad transportation for fence construction and maintenance and other protective structures along railroad tracks. Directs the Administrator of the Federal Railroad Administration to study and report on best practices for railroad safety related to the construction, monitoring, and repair of fencing and other protective structures along railroad tracks.
Topic: Transportation — Railroad Travel
Subject: Transportation and public works
Date: 2007-03-14 00:00:00

Federal Railroad Safety Accountability and Improvement Act - Authorizes appropriations for FY2008-FY2011 for the railroad safety program, including a safety risk reduction program to be implemented as part of such program. Eliminates the authority of the Secretary of Transportation (or state Secretary) to prescribe investigative and surveillance activities to enforce rail safety regulations and orders.Prohibits public disclosure of railroad safety risk reduction program records.Requires railroad carriers and states to report to the Secretary, and update periodically, unreported highway-rail (including non-vehicular pathway-rail) grade crossings and public highway-rail (including non-vehicular public pathway) grade crossings within the United States.Urges the development of new technology to prevent loss of life and injuries at highway-rail grade crossings.Sets forth requirements: (1) prohibiting the judicial review of railroad safety regulations or orders on the ground that they impact security; (2) authorizing the Secretary to waive compliance of such regulations and orders if there is an emergency event, it is in the public interest, and consistent with railroad safety; (3) authorizing the Secretary to monitor railroad radio communications to prevent rail accidents, or as part of an accident investigation; (4) authorizing the Secretary to prohibit individuals who have violated hazardous material transportation safety laws from performing safety-sensitive functions in the railroad industry until specified conditions are met; (5) repealing and reserving codified federal hours of service laws, requiring the conversion of such laws to regulations, and authorizing the Secretary to amend such regulations to prevent and mitigate fatigue in individuals performing safety-critical train related duties; (6) establishing maximum number of hours a train employee may be on duty; and (7) authorizing the Administrator of the Federal Railroad Administration and designated employees access to criminal history records of railroad employees.
Topic: Transportation — Railroad Travel
Subject: Taxation
Date: 2007-03-20 00:00:00

Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) increase the allowable amount of the railroad track maintenance tax credit; (2) extend such credit through 2010; and (3) allow such credit against alternative minimum tax liabilities.
Topic: Transportation — Railroad Travel
Subject: Commerce
Date: 2007-03-22 00:00:00

Railroad Antitrust Enforcement Act of 2008 - (Sec. 2) Amends the Clayton Act (the Act) to make federal antitrust laws applicable to all common carriers subject to the Surface Transportation Board (STB), regardless of whether the carrier filed a rail carrier rate or whether a complaint challenging a rate is filed. (Sec. 3) Subjects to antitrust review agreements among rail carriers to pool or divide traffic, services, or earnings. (Sec. 4) Authorizes the the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to enforce certain provisions of the Act against STB-approved agreements or combinations, including those related to rates. (Sec. 5) Removes the prohibition against a private party seeking injunctive relief against a rail carrier for a violation of the antitrust laws. (Sec. 6) Provides that, in any civil action against a rail common carrier, the U.S. district court shall not be required to defer to the primary jurisdiction of the STB. (Sec. 7) Amends the Federal Trade Commission Act to authorize FTC enforcement against rail carriers for unfair methods of competition. (Sec. 8) Amends federal transportation law to terminate the exemptions from antitrust laws for rail carriers, including mergers and acquisitions and ratemaking agreements. Requires the STB when reviewing a proposed rate agreement, to take into account its impact upon shippers, consumers, and affected communities, and to make findings regarding such impact, which shall be made part of the administrative record. Revises STB authority to provide that a rail carrier, corporation, or a person participating in an approved transaction is not exempt from specified antitrust laws. (Sec. 9) Makes the date of enactment of this Act its effective date. Makes an exception for parties engaging prior to such enactment in conduct or actions previously exempted by STB approval (such parties to have 180 days to discontinue such conduct or action or otherwise become subject to the antitrust laws).
Topic: Transportation — Railroad Travel
Subject: Taxation
Date: 2007-05-02 00:00:00

Freight Rail Infrastructure Capacity Expansion Act of 2007 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow: (1) a tax credit for 25% of the cost of new qualified freight rail infrastructure property and qualified locomotive property; and (2) a taxpayer election to expense the cost of qualified freight rail infrastructure property (i.e., deduct all costs in the current taxable year). Terminates such credit and expensing election after 2012.
Topic: Transportation — Railroad Travel
Subject: Transportation and public works
Date: 2007-05-03 00:00:00

Railroad Competition and Service Improvement Act of 2007 - Sets forth Surface Transportation Board directives calling for effective competition among rail carriers and reliable rail transportation service for rail customers.Requires a rail carrier, upon shipper request, to establish rates for transportation and provide requested service between any two points on the carrier's system. Prohibits the Board from issuing a certificate authorizing construction and operation of railroad lines, short line purchases by Class II and Class III rail carriers, or consolidation, merger, and acquisition of control of rail carriers, or exempt from such certificate requirements any person, transaction, or service with respect to such activity, if the activity involves a transfer of interest in a line of railroad, from a Class I rail carrier to a Class II or III rail carrier, and the activity would: (1) restrict the ability of the Class II or Class III rail carrier to interchange traffic with other rail carriers; (2) restrict competition of rail carriers in the region affected by the activity in a manner that would violate U.S. antitrust laws; or (3) require higher per car interchange rates for Class II or Class III rail carriers to interchange traffic with other rail carriers. Prescribes procedures for Board review of any activity alleged to have resulted in a restriction of competition.Makes mandatory (currently, discretionary) entry by rail carriers into reciprocal switching agreements where the Board finds it is practicable and in the public interest, or where such agreements are necessary to provide competitive rail service. Requires the Board to designate any state or substantial part of a state as an area of inadequate rail competition after making certain findings.Requires the Board to post rail service complaints on its website. Sets forth time limits for the Board to act on complaints filed alleging unlawfulness of a new or revised rail rate, rule, or practice.Establishes the Office of Rail Customer Advocacy.Grants rail customers access to a Board process for determining rail rate reasonableness in railroad market dominance cases. Requires the Board to submit certain rail rate, service, and other disputes to arbitration. Authorizes the Board to investigate rail carrier violations on its own initiative (under current law, the Board is authorized to investigate only on complaint). Requires the Board (currently, discretionary) to initiate an investigation upon receiving a complaint alleging rail carrier violations.
Topic: Transportation — Railroad Travel
Subject: Transportation and public works
Date: 2007-05-22 00:00:00

Requires railroad carriers to annually transmit to the Secretary of Transportation a plan for providing notification to local emergency responders before transporting hazardous materials through their jurisdictions. Directs the Secretary to require carriers to periodically demonstrate that the plan's procedures provide local emergency responders adequate notice.
Topic: Transportation — Railroad Travel
Subject: Transportation and public works
Date: 2007-10-04 00:00:00

Northeast Corridor Rail Tunnel Safety Act - Authorizes appropriations to the Secretary of Transportation for Amtrak use, after the Secretary has received and approved a project engineering and financial plan, to complete New York tunnel life safety projects and to rehabilitate tunnels in Washington, D.C., and Baltimore, Maryland.
Topic: Transportation — Railroad Travel
Subject: Transportation and public works
Date: 2007-11-08 00:00:00

American Investment in Safe, Reliable High-Speed Rail Act - Declares that the purpose of this Act is to establish high-speed rail systems in the United States. Amends federal transportation law to authorize the Secretary of Transportation (Secretary) to make grants to a state, an Interstate Compact, a public agency, or a public-private entity to finance high-speed capital projects that improve intercity passenger rail transportation service. Prohibits Secretary approval of a grant project without a state rail plan and a project management plan. Requires each state to prepare for Secretary approval a state rail plan that includes a long-range rail investment program. Establishes: (1) a Next Generation Corridor Equipment Pool Committee; (2) a rail cooperative research program; and (3) an advisory board. Authorizes the Secretary to make grants to, and enter into cooperative agreements with, the National Academy of Sciences to carry out research, technology, and technology transfer activities to improve intercity rail passenger and freight service.
Topic: Transportation — Railroad Travel
Subject: Transportation and public works
Date: 2007-11-08 00:00:00

High-Speed Rail Authority Development and Formation Act - Establishes within the Department of Transportation (DOT) the National High-Speed Rail Authority (Authority), which shall be headed by an Administrator. Declares that the Authority's mission shall be to encourage and assist in the establishment of high-speed rail systems in the United States. Establishes in the Authority: (1) a Policy Advisory Committee; (2) an Office of Administration; and (3) an Office of Policy, Research, and Development. Establishes within the Office of Administration a Design/Build/Operate Division, a Right-Of-Way Acquisition Division, the position of General Counsel, and an Office of Venture Capital. Authorizes the Administrator, based on certain criteria, to solicit the development of certain technologies that will contribute to the development of high-speed rail transportation. Requires that priority be given to certain designated High-Speed Rail Corridors in allocating federal funds to construct high-speed rail systems.