HR 3036 — Protecting America’s Workers Act

Summary

Protecting America's Workers ActThis bill expands the coverage of requirements governing workplace safety and health to include protection for federal, state, and local government employees. However, the bill does not cover working conditions otherwise covered by federal requirements for mine safety and health.The bill revises requirements governing worker protection, including byexpanding protections for whistle-blowers, such as protections for employees who refuse to perform work because they reasonably believe the work would result in serious injury or illness and for employees who aid inspections;directing employers to furnish a hazard-free place of employment to all individuals performing work, not just employees;directing employers to report work-related deaths or certain injuries, illnesses, or hospitalizations;establishing rights for victims, or representatives of victims, with respect to inspections or investigations of work-related bodily injuries or deaths; andsetting the permitted period for employers to correct serious, willful, or repeated violations while citations for the violations are being contested.The bill also revises enforcement and oversight of workplace safety, including byincreasing civil and criminal penalties for certain violations,requiring the Department of Labor to investigate fatalities or significant incidents in the workplace,expanding enforcement requirements relating to state occupational safety and health plans,expanding requirements for workplace health hazard evaluations by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, andrequiring Labor to provide training programs concerning employee rights and employer responsibilities.

Bill Text

• Introduced Introduced in House Current html April 28, 2025

Compared against current U.S. Code AI-generated reading aid — verify against the official bill.

The bill expands coverage of the Occupational Safety and Health Act to include public employees and enhances whistleblower protections and penalties.

• 29 U.S.C. 652(5)

  but does not include the United States (not including the United States Postal Service) or any State or political subdivision of a State. → including the United States, a State, or a political subdivision of a State.

  This change includes federal, state, and local government employees under the protections of the Occupational Safety and Health Act.

• 29 U.S.C. 652

  (15) Authorized employee representative.--The term 'authorized employee representative'-- (A) means any person or organization that for the purposes of this Act represents not less than one employee at an establishment, factory, plant, construction site, or other workplace, or other environment where work is performed by an employee for an employer; and (B) includes a representative authorized by employees, a representative of employees, or any other representative of an employee under this Act.

  This adds a definition for authorized employee representatives, clarifying who can represent employees in matters regarding occupational safety.

• 29 U.S.C. 653(b)(1)

  Nothing in this chapter shall apply to working conditions of employees with respect to which other Federal agencies, and State agencies acting under section 2021 of title 42, exercise statutory authority to prescribe or enforce standards or regulations affecting occupational safety or health. → If a Federal agency has promulgated and is enforcing a standard or regulation affecting occupational safety or health of some or all of the employees within that agency's regulatory jurisdiction, and the Secretary determines that such a standard or regulation as promulgated and the manner in which the standard or regulation is being enforced provides protection to those employees that is at least as effective as the protection provided to those employees by this Act and the Secretary's enforcement of this Act, the Secretary may publish a certification notice in the Federal Register.

  This allows the Secretary to cede jurisdiction to federal agencies if their standards are at least as effective as those of the Occupational Safety and Health Act.

• 29 U.S.C. 660(c)(1)

  discharge → discharge or cause to be discharged, or in any manner discriminate against or cause to be discriminated against, any employee because-- (A) such

  This expands the definition of prohibited retaliation to include various forms of discrimination against employees.

• 29 U.S.C. 660(c)(2)

  (2) Prohibition of Retaliation.--(A) No person shall discharge, or cause to be discharged, or in any manner discriminate against, or cause to be discriminated against, an employee for refusing to perform the employee's duties if the employee has a reasonable apprehension that performing such duties would result in serious injury to, or serious impairment of the health of, the employee or other employees.

  This establishes a stronger prohibition against retaliation for employees who refuse unsafe work.

• 29 U.S.C. 660(c)(3)

  (3) Complaint.--Any employee who believes that the employee has been discharged, disciplined, or otherwise discriminated against by any person in violation of paragraph (1) or (2) may seek relief for such violation by filing a complaint with the Secretary under paragraph (5).

  This amends the complaint procedure for employees alleging discrimination or retaliation.

Action History

1. April 28, 2025

   Introduced in House

2. April 28, 2025

   Introduced in House

3. April 28, 2025

   Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.

Sponsors

• Joe Courtney · Primary
• Robert C. "Bobby" Scott · Cosponsor
• Ilhan Omar · Cosponsor
• Suzanne Bonamici · Cosponsor
• Donald Norcross · Cosponsor
• Mark Takano · Cosponsor
• Betty McCollum · Cosponsor
• Debbie Dingell · Cosponsor
• Timothy M. Kennedy · Cosponsor
• Mark Pocan · Cosponsor
• Eleanor Holmes Norton · Cosponsor
• Nikki Budzinski · Cosponsor
• Maxine Waters · Cosponsor
• Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez · Cosponsor
• Judy Chu · Cosponsor
• Morgan McGarvey · Cosponsor
• Brad Sherman · Cosponsor
• Daniel S. Goldman · Cosponsor
• Greg Casar · Cosponsor

Subjects