BE HEARD in the Workplace Act

BE HEARD in the Workplace Act – Plain English Summary

The BE HEARD in the Workplace Act (which stands for "Bringing an End to Harassment by Enhancing Accountability and Rejecting Discrimination") is a bill that aims to strengthen protections against harassment and discrimination in the workplace. The legislation would expand existing federal anti-discrimination and anti-harassment laws to cover workers who are not currently fully protected, including part-time employees, independent contractors, and workers at very small businesses. Under current law, some of these workers have limited or no legal recourse when they experience harassment or discrimination on the job.

The bill would also make it easier for workers to report harassment by extending the time period they have to file a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). It would restrict the use of non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) that prevent employees from talking about harassment they experienced or witnessed, and it would limit mandatory arbitration clauses that currently require many workers to resolve harassment claims privately rather than in court. Additionally, the bill calls for more resources and training programs to help employers and employees better understand and prevent workplace harassment.

The legislation would affect a wide range of people — employers, employees, contractors, and small business owners across many industries. Employers would face new compliance requirements and potential liability, while workers — particularly those in non-traditional work arrangements — would gain new legal protections. The bill was introduced in the Senate and has been referred to the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, where it would need to advance before receiving a full Senate vote.