119-hr17

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 17 Introduced in House

    (IH) ]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
 1st Session
 H. R. 17

To amend the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 to provide more effective 
 remedies to victims of discrimination in the payment of wages on the 
 basis of sex, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

 March 25, 2025

 Ms. DeLauro (for herself, Mr. Figures, Ms. Sewell, Ms. Ansari, Mr. 
Stanton, Mr. Huffman, Mr. Thompson of California, Mr. Bera, Ms. Matsui, 
 Mr. Garamendi, Mr. Harder of California, Mr. DeSaulnier, Ms. Pelosi, 
 Ms. Simon, Mr. Gray, Mr. Swalwell, Mr. Mullin, Mr. Liccardo, Mr. 
 Khanna, Ms. Lofgren, Mr. Panetta, Mr. Costa, Mr. Carbajal, Mr. Ruiz, 
 Ms. Brownley, Mr. Whitesides, Ms. Chu, Ms. Rivas, Ms. Friedman, Mr. 
 Cisneros, Mr. Sherman, Mr. Aguilar, Mr. Gomez, Mrs. Torres of 
 California, Mr. Lieu, Ms. Kamlager-Dove, Ms. Sanchez, Mr. Takano, Mr. 
 Garcia of California, Ms. Waters, Ms. Barragan, Mr. Tran, Mr. Correa, 
 Mr. Min, Mr. Levin, Mr. Peters, Ms. Jacobs, Mr. Vargas, Ms. DeGette, 
 Mr. Neguse, Mr. Crow, Ms. Pettersen, Mr. Larson of Connecticut, Mr. 
Courtney, Mr. Himes, Mrs. Hayes, Ms. Norton, Ms. McBride, Mr. Soto, Mr. 
 Frost, Ms. Castor of Florida, Mrs. Cherfilus-McCormick, Ms. Lois 
Frankel of Florida, Mr. Moskowitz, Ms. Wilson of Florida, Ms. Wasserman 
 Schultz, Mr. Bishop, Mr. Johnson of Georgia, Ms. Williams of Georgia, 
 Mrs. McBath, Mr. David Scott of Georgia, Mr. Case, Ms. Tokuda, Mr. 
Jackson of Illinois, Ms. Kelly of Illinois, Mrs. Ramirez, Mr. Garcia of 
 Illinois, Mr. Quigley, Mr. Casten, Mr. Davis of Illinois, Mr. 
 Krishnamoorthi, Ms. Schakowsky, Mr. Schneider, Mr. Foster, Ms. 
 Budzinski, Ms. Underwood, Mr. Sorensen, Mr. Mrvan, Mr. Carson, Ms. 
 Davids of Kansas, Mr. McGarvey, Mr. Carter of Louisiana, Mr. Fields, 
 Mr. Neal, Mr. McGovern, Mrs. Trahan, Mr. Auchincloss, Ms. Clark of 
 Massachusetts, Mr. Moulton, Ms. Pressley, Mr. Lynch, Mr. Keating, Mr. 
Olszewski, Ms. Elfreth, Mr. Ivey, Mr. Hoyer, Mrs. McClain Delaney, Mr. 
Mfume, Mr. Raskin, Ms. Pingree, Mr. Golden of Maine, Ms. Scholten, Mrs. 
Dingell, Ms. McDonald Rivet, Ms. Stevens, Ms. Tlaib, Mr. Thanedar, Ms. 
Craig, Ms. Morrison, Ms. McCollum, Ms. Omar, Mr. Bell, Mr. Cleaver, Mr. 
 Thompson of Mississippi, Mr. Davis of North Carolina, Ms. Ross, Mrs. 
 Foushee, Ms. Adams, Mr. Pappas, Ms. Goodlander, Mr. Norcross, Mr. 
 Conaway, Mr. Gottheimer, Mr. Pallone, Mr. Menendez, Ms. Pou, Mrs. 
McIver, Ms. Sherrill, Mrs. Watson Coleman, Ms. Stansbury, Mr. Vasquez, 
 Ms. Leger Fernandez, Ms. Titus, Ms. Lee of Nevada, Mr. Horsford, Mr. 
 Suozzi, Ms. Gillen, Mr. Meeks, Ms. Meng, Ms. Velazquez, Mr. Jeffries, 
 Ms. Clarke of New York, Mr. Goldman of New York, Mr. Nadler, Mr. 
Espaillat, Ms. Ocasio-Cortez, Mr. Torres of New York, Mr. Latimer, Mr. 
 Ryan, Mr. Riley of New York, Mr. Tonko, Mr. Mannion, Mr. Morelle, Mr. 
Kennedy of New York, Mr. Landsman, Mrs. Beatty, Ms. Kaptur, Ms. Brown, 
 Mrs. Sykes, Ms. Bonamici, Ms. Dexter, Ms. Hoyle of Oregon, Ms. Bynum, 
 Ms. Salinas, Mr. Fitzpatrick, Mr. Boyle of Pennsylvania, Mr. Evans of 
Pennsylvania, Ms. Dean of Pennsylvania, Ms. Scanlon, Ms. Houlahan, Ms. 
 Lee of Pennsylvania, Mr. Deluzio, Mr. Hernandez, Mr. Amo, Mr. 
 Magaziner, Mr. Clyburn, Mr. Cohen, Mrs. Fletcher, Mr. Green of Texas, 
Ms. Escobar, Mr. Castro of Texas, Mr. Cuellar, Ms. Garcia of Texas, Ms. 
 Crockett, Ms. Johnson of Texas, Mr. Veasey, Mr. Vicente Gonzalez of 
 Texas, Mr. Casar, Mr. Doggett, Mr. Scott of Virginia, Ms. McClellan, 
 Mr. Vindman, Mr. Beyer, Mr. Subramanyam, Mr. Connolly, Ms. Plaskett, 
 Ms. Balint, Ms. DelBene, Mr. Larsen of Washington, Ms. Perez, Ms. 
 Randall, Ms. Jayapal, Ms. Schrier, Mr. Smith of Washington, Ms. 
 Strickland, Mr. Pocan, and Ms. Moore of Wisconsin) introduced the 
 following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education and 
Workforce, and in addition to the Committee on Oversight and Government 
 Reform, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in 
 each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the 
 jurisdiction of the committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

 A BILL

To amend the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 to provide more effective 
 remedies to victims of discrimination in the payment of wages on the 
 basis of sex, 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 ``Paycheck Fairness Act''.

SEC. 2. ENHANCED ENFORCEMENT OF EQUAL PAY REQUIREMENTS.

    (a) 

=== Definitions. ===
-

Section 3 of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 
(29 U.S.C. 203) is amended by adding at the end the following:
 ``

    (z) `Sex' includes--
 ``

    (1) pregnancy, childbirth, or a related medical 
 condition;
 ``

    (2) sexual orientation or gender identity; and
 ``

    (3) sex characteristics, including intersex traits.
 ``

    (aa) `Sexual orientation' includes homosexuality, 
heterosexuality, and bisexuality.
 ``

    (bb) `Gender identity' means the gender-related identity, 
appearance, mannerisms, or other gender-related characteristics of an 
individual, regardless of the individual's designated sex at birth.''.

    (b) Bona Fide Factor Defense and Modification of Same Establishment 
Requirement.--

Section 6
            (d) (1) of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 
(29 U.S.C. 206
            (d) (1) ) is amended--

    (1) by striking ``No employer having'' and inserting ``
        (A) No employer having'';

    (2) by striking ``the opposite'' and inserting ``another'';

    (3) by striking ``any other factor other than sex'' and 
 inserting ``a bona fide factor other than sex, such as 
 education, training, or experience''; and

    (4) by adding at the end the following:
 ``
        (B) The bona fide factor defense described in subparagraph
        (A)
            (iv) shall apply only if the employer demonstrates that such factor
            (i) is not based upon or derived from a sex-based differential in 
compensation;
            (ii) is job-related with respect to the position in 
question;
            (iii) is consistent with business necessity; and
            (iv) accounts for the entire differential in compensation at issue. Such 
defense shall not apply where the employee demonstrates that an 
alternative employment practice exists that would serve the same 
business purpose without producing such differential and that the 
employer has refused to adopt such alternative practice.
 ``
            (C) For purposes of subparagraph
        (A) , employees shall be deemed 
to work in the same establishment if the employees work for the same 
employer at workplaces located in the same county or similar political 
subdivision of a State. The preceding sentence shall not be construed 
as limiting broader applications of the term `establishment' consistent 
with rules prescribed or guidance issued by the Equal Employment 
Opportunity Commission.''.
            (c) Nonretaliation Provision.--

Section 15 of the Fair Labor 
Standards Act of 1938 (29 U.S.C. 215) is amended--

    (1) in subsection

    (a) --
        (A) in paragraph

    (3) , by striking ``employee has 
 filed'' and all that follows and inserting ``employee--
 ``
        (A) has made a charge or filed any complaint or 
 instituted or caused to be instituted any 
 investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action under or 
 related to this Act, including an investigation 
 conducted by the employer, or has testified or is 
 planning to testify or has assisted or participated in 
 any manner in any such investigation, proceeding, 
 hearing or action, or has served or is planning to 
 serve on an industry committee;
 ``
        (B) has opposed any practice made unlawful by 
 this Act; or
 ``
            (C) has inquired about, discussed, or disclosed 
 the wages of the employee or another employee (such as 
 by inquiring or discussing with the employer why the 
 wages of the employee involved are set at a certain 
 rate or salary);'';
        (B) in paragraph

    (5) , by striking ``and'' at the 
 end;
            (C) in paragraph

    (6) , by striking the period at the 
 end and inserting ``; and''; and
            (D) by adding at the end the following:
 ``

    (7) to require an employee to sign a contract or waiver 
 that would prohibit the employee from disclosing information 
 about the employee's wages.''; and

    (2) by adding at the end the following:
 ``
            (c) Subsection

    (a)

    (3)
            (C) shall not apply to instances in which an 
employee who has access to the wage information of other employees as a 
part of such employee's essential job functions discloses the wages of 
such other employees to individuals who do not otherwise have access to 
such information, unless such disclosure is in response to a complaint 
or charge or in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, 
or action under 

section 6
            (d) , including an investigation conducted by 
the employer. Nothing in this subsection shall be construed to limit 
the rights of an employee provided under any other provision of law.''.
            (d) Enhanced Penalties.--

Section 16

    (b) of the Fair Labor Standards 
Act of 1938 (29 U.S.C. 216

    (b) ) is amended--

    (1) by inserting after the first sentence the following: 
 ``Any employer who violates 

section 6
            (d) , or who violates the 
 provisions of 

section 15

    (a)

    (3) in relation to 

section 6
            (d) , 
 shall additionally be liable for such compensatory damages, or, 
 if the employee demonstrates that the employer acted with 
 malice or reckless indifference, punitive damages as may be 
 appropriate, except that the United States shall not be liable 
 for punitive damages.'';

    (2) in the sentence beginning ``An action to'', by striking 
 ``the preceding sentences'' and inserting ``any of the 
 preceding sentences of this subsection'';

    (3) in the sentence beginning ``No employees shall'', by 
 striking ``No employees'' and inserting ``Except with respect 
 to class actions brought to enforce 

section 6
            (d) , no 
 employee'';

    (4) by inserting after the sentence referred to in 
 paragraph

    (3) , the following: ``Notwithstanding any other 
 provision of Federal law, any action brought to enforce 

section 6
            (d) may be maintained as a class action as provided by the 
 Federal Rules of Civil Procedure.''; and

    (5) in the sentence beginning ``The court in''--
        (A) by striking ``in such action'' and inserting 
 ``in any action brought to recover the liability 
 prescribed in any of the preceding sentences of this 
 subsection''; and
        (B) by inserting ``, including expert fees'' before 
 the period.

    (e) Action by the Secretary.--

Section 16
            (c) of the Fair Labor 
Standards Act of 1938 (29 U.S.C. 216
            (c) ) is amended--

    (1) in the first sentence--
        (A) by inserting ``or, in the case of a violation 
 of 

section 6
            (d) , additional compensatory or punitive 
 damages, as described in subsection

    (b) ,'' before ``and 
 the agreement''; and
        (B) by inserting before the period the following: 
 ``, or such compensatory or punitive damages, as 
 appropriate'';

    (2) in the second sentence, by inserting before the period 
 the following: ``and, in the case of a violation of 

section 6
            (d) , additional compensatory or punitive damages, as described 
 in subsection

    (b) ''; and

    (3) in the third sentence, by striking ``the first 
 sentence'' and inserting ``the first or second sentence''.

    (f) Enforcement Authority.--

    (1) In general.--The Equal Opportunity Employment 
 Commission shall carry out the functions and authorities 
 described in 

section 1 of Reorganization Plan No. 1 of 1978 (92 
 Stat. 3781; 5 U.S.C. App.) to enforce and administer the 
 provisions of 

section 6
            (d) of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 
 1938 (29 U.S.C. 206
            (d) ), except that the Secretary of Labor, 
 through the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs, may 
 also enforce this provision with respect to Federal 
 contractors, Federal subcontractors, and federally assisted 
 construction contractors, within the jurisdiction of the Office 
 of Federal Contract Compliance Programs under Executive Order 
 No. 11246 (42 U.S.C. 2000e note; relating to equal employment 
 opportunity) or a successor Executive order.

    (2) Coordination.--The Equal Opportunity Employment 
 Commission shall issue such regulations as may be necessary to 
 explain and implement the standards of such 

section 6
            (d) . The 
 Secretary of Labor may issue regulations to govern procedures 
 for enforcement of 

section 6
            (d) by the Office of Federal 
 Contract Compliance Programs. The Secretary of Labor and the 
 Equal Employment Opportunity Commission shall establish other 
 coordinating mechanisms as may be necessary.

SEC. 3. TRAINING.

 The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the Secretary of 
Labor, acting through the Office of Federal Contract Compliance 
Programs, subject to the availability of funds appropriated under 

section 11, shall provide training to employees of the Commission and 
the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs and to affected 
individuals and entities on matters involving discrimination in the 
payment of wages.

SEC. 4. NEGOTIATION SKILLS TRAINING.

    (a) Negotiation Bias Training.--

    (1) In general.--The Secretary of Labor shall establish a 
 program to award contracts and grants for the purpose of 
 training employers about the role that salary negotiation and 
 other inconsistent wage setting practices can have on allowing 
 bias to enter compensation.

    (2) Training topics.--Each training program established 
 using funds under section

    (a) shall include an overview of how 
 structural issues may cause inequitable earning and advancement 
 opportunities for women and people of color and assist 
 employers in examining the impact of a range of practices on 
 such opportunities, including--
        (A) self-auditing to identify structural issues 
 that allow bias and inequity to enter compensation;
        (B) recruitment of candidates to ensure diverse 
 pools of applicants;
            (C) salary negotiations that result in similarly 
 qualified workers entering at different rates of pay;
            (D) internal equity among workers with similar 
 skills, effort, responsibility and working conditions;
        (E) consistent use of market rates and incentives 
 driven by industry competitiveness;
        (F) evaluation of the rate of employee progress and 
 advancement to higher paid positions;
        (G) work assignments that result in greater 
 opportunity for advancement;
        (H) training, development and promotion 
 opportunities;
            (I) impact of mid-level or senior level hiring in 
 comparison to wage rates of incumbent workers;
        (J) opportunities to win commissions and bonuses;
        (K) performance reviews and raises;
            (L) processes for adjusting pay to address 
 inconsistency and inequity in compensation; and
            (M) other topics that research identifies as a 
 common area for assumptions, bias and inequity to 
 impact compensation.

    (b) Program Authorized.--

    (1) In general.--The Secretary of Labor, after consultation 
 with the Secretary of Education, is authorized to establish and 
 carry out a grant program.

    (2) Grants.--In carrying out the program, the Secretary of 
 Labor may make grants on a competitive basis to eligible 
 entities to carry out negotiation skills training programs for 
 the purposes of addressing pay disparities, including through 
 outreach to women and girls.

    (3) Eligible entities.--To be eligible to receive a grant 
 under this subsection, an entity shall be a public agency, such 
 as a State, a local government in a metropolitan statistical 
 area (as defined by the Office of Management and Budget), a 
 State educational agency, or a local educational agency, a 
 private nonprofit organization, or a community-based 
 organization.

    (4) Application.--To be eligible to receive a grant under 
 this subsection, an entity shall submit an application to the 
 Secretary of Labor at such time, in such manner, and containing 
 such information as the Secretary of Labor may require.

    (5) Use of funds.--An entity that receives a grant under 
 this subsection shall use the funds made available through the 
 grant to carry out an effective negotiation skills training 
 program for the purposes described in paragraph

    (2) .
            (c) Incorporating Training Into Existing Programs.--The Secretary 
of Labor and the Secretary of Education shall issue regulations or 
policy guidance that provides for integrating the negotiation skills 
training, to the extent practicable, into programs authorized under--

    (1) in the case of the Secretary of Education, the 
 Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6301 
 et seq.), the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education 
 Act of 2006 (20 U.S.C. 2301 et seq.), the Higher Education Act 
 of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001 et seq.), and other programs carried 
 out by the Department of Education that the Secretary of 
 Education determines to be appropriate; and

    (2) in the case of the Secretary of Labor, the Workforce 
 Innovation and Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3101 et seq.), and 
 other programs carried out by the Department of Labor that the 
 Secretary of Labor determines to be appropriate.
            (d) Report.--Not later than 18 months after the date of enactment 
of this Act, and annually thereafter, the Secretary of Labor, in 
consultation with the Secretary of Education, shall prepare and submit 
to Congress a report describing the activities conducted under this 
section and evaluating the effectiveness of such activities in 
achieving the purposes of this section.

SEC. 5. RESEARCH, EDUCATION, AND OUTREACH.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 18 months after the date of 
enactment of this Act, and periodically thereafter, the Secretary of 
Labor shall conduct studies and provide information to employers, labor 
organizations, and the general public concerning the means available to 
eliminate pay disparities between men and women (including women who 
are Asian American, Black or African American, Hispanic American or 
Latino, Native American or Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian or Pacific 
Islander, and White American), including--

    (1) conducting and promoting research to develop the means 
 to correct expeditiously the conditions leading to the pay 
 disparities, with specific attention paid to women and girls 
 from historically underrepresented and minority groups;

    (2) publishing and otherwise making available to employers, 
 labor organizations, professional associations, educational 
 institutions, the media, and the general public the findings 
 resulting from studies and other materials, relating to 
 eliminating the pay disparities;

    (3) sponsoring and assisting State, local, and community 
 informational and educational programs;

    (4) providing information to employers, labor 
 organizations, professional associations, and other interested 
 persons on the means of eliminating the pay disparities; and

    (5) recognizing and promoting the achievements of 
 employers, labor organizations, and professional associations 
 that have worked to eliminate the pay disparities.

    (b) Research on Gender Pay Gap in Teenage Labor Force.--

    (1) Research review.--Not later than 12 months after the 
 date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Labor, 
 acting through the Director of the Women's Bureau, shall 
 conduct a review and develop a synthesis of research on the 
 gender wage gap among younger workers existing as of the date 
 of enactment of this Act, and shall make such review and 
 synthesis available on a publicly accessible website of the 
 Department of Labor.

    (2) Authority to commission studies.--Not later than 36 
 months after the date of the enactment of this Act, the 
 Secretary of Labor, acting through the Director of the Women's 
 Bureau, shall request proposals and commission studies that can 
 advance knowledge on the gender wage gap among younger workers, 
 and shall make such studies available on a publicly accessible 
 website of the Department of Labor.

SEC. 6. ESTABLISHMENT OF THE NATIONAL AWARD FOR PAY EQUITY IN THE 
 WORKPLACE.

    (a) In General.--There is established the National Award for Pay 
Equity in the Workplace, which shall be awarded by the Secretary of 
Labor in consultation with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, 
on an annual basis, to an employer to encourage proactive efforts to 
comply with 

section 6
            (d) of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 (29 
U.S.C. 206
            (d) ), as amended by this Act.

    (b) Criteria for Qualification.--The Secretary of Labor, in 
consultation with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, shall--

    (1) set criteria for receipt of the award, including a 
 requirement that an employer has made substantial effort to 
 eliminate pay disparities between men and women and deserves 
 special recognition as a consequence of such effort; and

    (2) establish procedures for the application and 
 presentation of the award.
            (c) Business.--In this section, the term ``employer'' includes--

    (1)
        (A) a corporation, including a nonprofit corporation;
        (B) a partnership;
            (C) a professional association;
            (D) a labor organization; and
        (E) a business entity similar to an entity described in any 
 of subparagraphs
        (A) through
            (D) ;

    (2) an entity carrying out an education referral program, a 
 training program, such as an apprenticeship or management 
 training program, or a similar program; and

    (3) an entity carrying out a joint program, formed by a 
 combination of any entities described in paragraph

    (1) or

    (2) .

SEC. 7. COLLECTION OF PAY INFORMATION BY THE EQUAL EMPLOYMENT 
 OPPORTUNITY COMMISSION.

 

Section 709 of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (42 U.S.C. 2000e-8) is 
amended by adding at the end the following:
 ``

    (f)

    (1) Not later than 24 months after the date of enactment of 
this subsection, the Commission shall provide for the annual collection 
from employers of compensation data disaggregated by the sex, race, and 
national origin of employees. The Commission may also require employers 
to submit other employment-related data (including hiring, termination, 
and promotion data) so disaggregated.
 ``

    (2) In carrying out paragraph

    (1) , the Commission shall have as 
its primary consideration the most effective and efficient means for 
enhancing the enforcement of Federal laws prohibiting pay 
discrimination. The Commission shall also consider factors including 
the imposition of burdens on employers, the frequency of required 
reports (including the size of employers required to prepare reports), 
appropriate protections for maintaining data confidentiality, and the 
most effective format to report such data.
 ``

    (3)
        (A) For each 12-month reporting period for an employer, the 
data collected under paragraph

    (1) shall include compensation data 
disaggregated by the categories described in subparagraph
        (E) .
 ``
        (B) For the purposes of collecting the disaggregated compensation 
data described in subparagraph
        (A) , the Commission may use compensation 
ranges reporting--
 ``
            (i) the number of employees of the employer who earn 
 compensation in an amount that falls within such compensation 
 range; and
 ``
            (ii) the total number of hours worked by such employees.
 ``
            (C) If the Commission uses compensation ranges to collect the pay 
data described in subparagraph
        (A) , the Commission may adjust such 
compensation ranges--
 ``
            (i) if the Commission determines that such adjustment is 
 necessary to enhance enforcement of Federal laws prohibiting 
 pay discrimination; or
 ``
            (ii) for inflation, in consultation with the Bureau of 
 Labor Statistics.
 ``
            (D) In collecting data described in subparagraph
        (A)
            (ii) , the 
Commission may provide that, with respect to an employee who the 
employer is not required to compensate for overtime employment under 

section 7 of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 (29 U.S.C. 207), an 
employer may report--
 ``
            (i) in the case of a full-time employee, that such 
 employee works 40 hours per week, and in the case of a part-
 time employee, that such employee works 20 hours per week; or
 ``
            (ii) the actual number of hours worked by such employee.
 ``
        (E) The categories described in this subparagraph shall be 
determined by the Commission and shall include--
 ``
            (i) race;
 ``
            (ii) national origin;
 ``
            (iii) sex; and
 ``
            (iv) job categories, including the job categories 
 described in the instructions for the Equal Employment 
 Opportunity Employer Information Report EEO-1, as in effect on 
 the date of the enactment of this subsection.
 ``
        (F) The Commission shall use the compensation data collected 
under paragraph

    (1) --
 ``
            (i) to enhance--
 ``
            (I) the investigation of charges filed under 
 

section 706 or 

section 6
            (d) of the Fair Labor Standards 
 Act of 1938 (29 U.S.C. 206
            (d) ); and
 ``
            (II) the allocation of resources to investigate 
 such charges; and
 ``
            (ii) for any other purpose that the Commission determines 
 appropriate.
 ``
        (G) The Commission shall at 18-month intervals make publicly 
available aggregate compensation data collected under paragraph

    (1) for 
the categories described in subparagraph
        (E) , disaggregated by 
industry, occupation, and core based statistical area (as defined by 
the Office of Management and Budget).
 ``

    (4) The compensation data under paragraph

    (1) shall be collected 
from each employer that--
 ``
        (A) is a private employer that has 100 or more employees, 
 including such an employer that is a contractor with the 
 Federal Government, or a subcontractor at any tier thereof; or
 ``
        (B) the Commission determines appropriate.''.

SEC. 8. REINSTATEMENT OF PAY EQUITY PROGRAMS AND PAY EQUITY DATA 
 COLLECTION.

    (a) Bureau of Labor Statistics Data Collection.--The Commissioner 
of Labor Statistics shall continue to collect data on women workers in 
the Current Employment Statistics survey.

    (b) Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs Initiatives.--
The Director of the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs 
shall collect compensation data and other employment-related data 
(including, hiring, termination, and promotion data) by demographics 
and designate not less than half of all nonconstruction contractors 
each year to prepare and file such data, and shall review and utilize 
the responses to such data to identify contractors for further 
evaluation and for other enforcement purposes as appropriate.
            (c) Department of Labor Distribution of Wage Discrimination 
Information.--The Secretary of Labor shall make readily available (in 
print, on the Department of Labor website, and through any other forum 
that the Department may use to distribute compensation discrimination 
information), accurate information on compensation discrimination, 
including statistics, explanations of employee rights, historical 
analyses of such discrimination, instructions for employers on 
compliance, and any other information that will assist the public in 
understanding and addressing such discrimination.

SEC. 9. PROHIBITIONS RELATING TO PROSPECTIVE EMPLOYEES' SALARY AND 
 BENEFIT HISTORY.

    (a) In General.--The Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 (29 U.S.C. 
201 et seq.) is amended by inserting after 

section 7 the following new 
section:

``

SEC. 8. REQUIREMENTS AND PROHIBITIONS RELATING TO WAGE, SALARY, AND 
 BENEFIT HISTORY.

 ``

    (a) In General.--It shall be an unlawful practice for an employer 
to--
 ``

    (1) rely on the wage history of a prospective employee in 
 considering the prospective employee for employment in a 
 position as an employee who in any workweek is engaged in 
 commerce or in the production of goods for commerce, or is 
 employed in an enterprise engaged in commerce or in the 
 production of goods for commerce, including requiring that a 
 prospective employee's prior wages satisfy minimum or maximum 
 criteria as a condition of being considered for such 
 employment;
 ``

    (2) rely on the wage history of a prospective employee in 
 determining the wages for such prospective employee for a 
 position described in paragraph

    (1) of the employer, except 
 that an employer may rely on wage history if it is voluntarily 
 provided by a prospective employee, after the employer makes an 
 offer of employment in such a position with an offer of 
 compensation to the prospective employee for such position, to 
 support a wage higher than the wage offered by the employer;
 ``

    (3) seek from a prospective employee or any current or 
 former employer the wage history of the prospective employee, 
 except that an employer may seek to confirm prior wage 
 information only after an offer of employment with compensation 
 has been made to the prospective employee and the prospective 
 employee responds to the offer by providing prior wage 
 information to support a wage higher than that offered by the 
 employer; or
 ``

    (4) discharge or in any other manner retaliate against 
 any employee or prospective employee for a position described 
 in paragraph

    (1) because the employee or prospective employee--
 ``
        (A) opposed any act or practice made unlawful by 
 this section; or
 ``
        (B) took an action for which discrimination is 
 forbidden under 

section 15

    (a)

    (3) .
 ``

    (b) 

=== Definition. ===
-In this section, the term `wage history' means 
the wages paid to the prospective employee by the prospective 
employee's current employer or previous employer.''.

    (b) Penalties.--

Section 16 of such Act (29 U.S.C. 216) is amended 
by adding at the end the following new subsection:
 ``

    (f)

    (1) Any person who violates the provisions of 

section 8 
shall--
 ``
        (A) be subject to a civil penalty of $5,000 for a first 
 offense, increased by an additional $1,000 for each subsequent 
 offense, not to exceed $10,000; and
 ``
        (B) be liable to each employee or prospective employee 
 who was the subject of the violation for special damages not to 
 exceed $10,000 plus attorneys' fees, and shall be subject to 
 such injunctive relief as may be appropriate.
 ``

    (2) An action to recover the liability described in paragraph

    (1)
        (B) may be maintained against any employer (including a public 
agency) in any Federal or State court of competent jurisdiction by any 
one or more employees or prospective employees for and on behalf of--
 ``
        (A) the employees or prospective employees; and
 ``
        (B) other employees or prospective employees similarly 
 situated.''.
            (c) Conforming Amendment.--

Section 10 of the Fair Labor Standards 
Act of 1938 (29 U.S.C. 210) is repealed.

SEC. 10. NATIONAL EQUAL PAY ENFORCEMENT TASK FORCE.

    (a) In General.--There is established the National Equal Pay 
Enforcement Task Force, consisting of representatives from the Equal 
Employment Opportunity Commission, the Department of Justice, the 
Department of Labor, and the Office of Personnel Management.

    (b) Mission.--In order to improve compliance, public education, and 
enforcement of equal pay laws, the National Equal Pay Enforcement Task 
Force will ensure that the agencies in subsection

    (a) are coordinating 
efforts and limiting potential gaps in enforcement.
            (c) Duties.--The National Equal Pay Enforcement Task Force shall 
investigate challenges related to pay inequity pursuant to its mission 
in subsection

    (b) , advance recommendations to address those challenges, 
and create action plans to implement the recommendations.

SEC. 11. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    (a) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated such sums as may be necessary to carry out this Act.

    (b) Prohibition on Earmarks.--None of the funds appropriated 
pursuant to subsection

    (a) for purposes of the grant program in 

section 4 of this Act may be used for a congressional earmark as defined in 
clause 9

    (e) of rule XXI of the Rules of the House of Representatives.

SEC. 12. SMALL BUSINESS ASSISTANCE.

    (a) Effective Date.--This Act and the amendments made by this Act 
shall take effect on the date that is 6 months after the date of 
enactment of this Act.

    (b) Technical Assistance Materials.--The Secretary of Labor and the 
Commissioner of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission shall 
jointly develop technical assistance material to assist small 
enterprises in complying with the requirements of this Act and the 
amendments made by this Act.
            (c) Small Businesses.--A small enterprise shall be exempt from the 
provisions of this Act, and the amendments made by this Act, to the 
same extent that such enterprise is exempt from the requirements of the 
Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 (29 U.S.C. 201 et seq.) pursuant to 
clauses
            (i) and
            (ii) of 

section 3

    (s)

    (1)
        (A) of such Act (29 U.S.C. 
203

    (s)

    (1)
        (A) ).

SEC. 13. NOTICE REQUIREMENTS.

    (a) In General.--Each employer shall post and keep posted, in 
conspicuous places on the premises of the employer where notices to 
employees are customarily posted, a notice, to be prepared or approved 
by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the Secretary of 
Labor, of the requirements described in this Act (or the amendments 
made by such Act).

    (b) Relation to Existing Notices.--The notice under subsection

    (a) may be incorporated into notices required of the employer as of the 
date of enactment of this Act.
            (c) Digital Notice.--With respect to the notice under subsection

    (a) , each employer shall--

    (1) post electronic copies of the notice on an internal 
 website to which employees have access; and

    (2) notify employees on such internal website of the 
 location of the place on the premises where the notice is 
 posted.

SEC. 14. RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.

 Nothing in this Act, or in any amendments made by this Act, shall 
affect the obligation of employers and employees to fully comply with 
all applicable immigration laws, including being subject to any 
penalties, fines, or other sanctions.

SEC. 15. SEVERABILITY.

 If any provision of this Act, an amendment made by this Act, or the 
application of that provision or amendment to particular persons or 
circumstances is held invalid or found to be unconstitutional, the 
remainder of this Act, the amendments made by this Act, or the 
application of that provision to other persons or circumstances shall 
not be affected.
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