Protections and Transparency in the Workplace Act
Sponsored By: Representative Lieu, Ted [D-CA-36]
Introduced
Summary
Public companies must publicly report and independently investigate workplace discrimination and harassment. This bill would also require mandatory training, employee surveys, an anonymous whistleblower tip line, and attestations from top officers and board members.
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- Employees: Workers would get mandatory training within 60 days of hire and annual refreshers, with retraining for those who commit violations. The bill also requires an anonymous tip line and an annual survey that asks about perceived safety and comfort reporting harassment.
- Public companies (issuers): Issuers would have to disclose counts of complaints, numbers under investigation, resolutions, settlements, aggregate payments, and average time to resolve claims. Disclosures must cover parents, subsidiaries, and affiliates, and issuers must file current reports when entering or exiting resolution agreements and note if an employee in a resolution has two or more prior claims.
- Investigations and governance: Covered claims must be investigated by an independent third-party law firm chosen only if all employees involved agree. Issuers must contract third-party firms for training and surveys and require attestations from the general counsel, chief financial officer, chief executive officer, and each board member that policies and systems exist to meet these requirements.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
4 provisions identified: 4 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
Broader protections for workers and contractors
If enacted, the bill would broaden what counts as covered discrimination and harassment. It would include Title VII categories (race, color, religion, sex including sexual orientation and gender identity, and national origin), age, disability, genetic information, status tied to uniformed service, sexual harassment, and sexual assault or abuse. It would also expand who is treated as an employee for these rules. Volunteers, unpaid workers, independent contractors, and contractor employees for public companies would be included.
Mandatory training and tip line at public companies
If enacted, public companies would have to provide training on what behavior is banned, how to report, prevention, and worker rights. New hires would train within 60 days, and all workers would train each year. Managers and HR would get separate training, and anyone who violates the rules would retrain quickly. Companies would run an annual survey on safety and comfort reporting sexual harassment and how to improve reporting paths. An anonymous tip line would be required, with reports sent at once to the general counsel, head of HR, and the board. A third‑party law firm would run the training and the annual survey.
Outside investigators for public company claims
If enacted, public companies would need to hire an outside law firm to investigate covered claims. The investigation would be impartial and fact‑finding, not directed by the company. The chosen firm could be used only if all employees involved in the claim agree. The company would pay for the investigation.
Public companies must disclose harassment cases
If enacted, public companies that file SEC reports would have to disclose harassment and discrimination data. Reports would list claims received, under investigation, resolved, settlements, court judgments, outcomes, and total payments (including insurance or employee payments). They would also report repeat settlements tied to a specific person, prevention steps like training, and average time to resolve claims. A current report would be filed when entering or exiting any agreement resolving a claim and would note if an employee had two or more prior claims. Data would cover the company and its parents, subsidiaries, and affiliates, with names redacted and complainant names kept confidential unless they consent. The general counsel, CFO, CEO, and each board member would attest that policies and systems are in place and the company complies.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Lieu, Ted [D-CA-36]
CA • D
Cosponsors
Ocasio-Cortez
NY • D
Sponsored 7/22/2025
Rep. Pressley, Ayanna [D-MA-7]
MA • D
Sponsored 7/22/2025
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
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