Domestic Workers Bill of Rights Act This bill provides rights and protections for domestic workers (e.g., housekeepers, nannies, caretakers, personal assistants, and chauffeurs), including pay and leave rights, and health and safety protections. Specifically, the bill repeals the exemption of domestic live-in employees from certain minimum wage and maximum hour requirements. Employers must provide written notice of termination and provide at least 30 days of lodging and two weeks of severance pay to terminated live-in employees. Live-in employees also must be provided with reasonable access to telephone and internet service during their employment. The bill requires employers to provide domestic workers with a written agreement covering wages, sick leave, benefits, and other matters. Further, domestic workers may request and be granted changes to work schedules due to personal events. The bill also provides domestic workers with certain privacy rights, extends to domestic workers protections against discrimination in employment, and increases the federal medical assistance percentage (FMAP) for certain Medicaid-funded medical services provided by domestic workers. The Department of Labor must (1) award grants for a domestic worker national hotline for reporting emergencies, training on hazards facing domestic workers, and workforce investment activities for domestic workers; and (2) establish a Domestic Worker Wage and Standards Board to investigate standards in the domestic workers industry. Labor must publish online a document that describes the rights and protections for domestic workers under this bill.
Protecting Renters from Evictions Act of 2021 This bill extends through December 31, 2021, the order issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention titled Temporary Halt in Residential Evictions To Prevent the Further Spread of COVID–19 and published on September 4, 2020.
Mapping Housing Discrimination Act This bill provides grants to institutions of higher education to analyze, digitize, and map historic housing discrimination records. The Department of Housing and Urban Development's Office of Policy Development and Research must use data submitted by institutions under the bill to create a publicly available national database of historic housing discrimination records. Historic housing discrimination records are (1) deeds or historic property records that demonstrate housing discrimination, or (2) state or local ordinances that permitted housing discrimination.
Renters Tax Credit Act of 2021 This bill allows owners of rental buildings who provide reductions in rent to their low-income tenants a refundable tax credit for a specified percentage of the difference between market rent and 30% of the monthly family income of such tenants. The bill allocates credit amounts to states for distribution to participating taxpayers.
Digital Authenticity for Court Orders Act of 2021 This bill generally requires certain court orders, particularly those relating to wiretaps, electronic surveillance, and search and seizures, to have authentic digital signatures.
Judiciary Accountability Act of 2021 This bill applies certain civil rights and employee protection laws to judicial branch employees. Specifically, the bill applies to judicial branch employees laws that prohibit discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex (including sexual orientation or gender identity), national origin, age, or disability. Further, the bill prohibits retaliation against whistleblowers within the judicial branch. Additionally, the bill establishes (1) the Commission on Judicial Integrity to oversee a program to prevent workplace misconduct; (2) the Office of Judicial Integrity to oversee confidential reporting systems regarding workplace misconduct, training programs on workplace behavior and bystander intervention, and other reporting initiatives regarding employee metrics and demographics; (3) the Special Counsel for Equal Employment Opportunity to investigate alleged workplace misconduct and complaints; and (4) the Office of Employee Advocacy to provide legal assistance, representation, and consultation to judicial employees. Finally, the bill establishes workplace discrimination, harassment, and retaliation as judicial misconduct.
Domestic Workers Bill of Rights Act This bill provides rights and protections for domestic workers (e.g., housekeepers, nannies, caretakers, personal assistants, and chauffeurs), including pay and leave rights, and health and safety protections. Specifically, the bill repeals the exemption of domestic live-in employees from certain minimum wage and maximum hour requirements. Employers must provide written notice of termination and provide at least 30 days of lodging and two weeks of severance pay to terminated live-in employees. Live-in employees also must be provided with reasonable access to telephone and internet service during their employment. The bill requires employers to provide domestic workers with a written agreement covering wages, sick leave, benefits, and other matters. Further, domestic workers may request and be granted changes to work schedules due to personal events. The bill also provides domestic workers with certain privacy rights, extends to domestic workers protections against discrimination in employment, and increases the federal medical assistance percentage (FMAP) for certain Medicaid-funded medical services provided by domestic workers. The Department of Labor must (1) award grants for a domestic worker national hotline for reporting emergencies, training on hazards facing domestic workers, and workforce investment activities for domestic workers; and (2) establish a Domestic Worker Wage and Standards Board to investigate standards in the domestic workers industry. Labor must publish online a document that describes the rights and protections for domestic workers under this bill.
Congressional Whistleblower Protection Act of 2021 This bill creates certain administrative and judicial remedies for federal employees whose right to provide information to Congress is interfered with or denied. Under current law, federal employees have the right to petition or furnish information to Congress or to individual Members of Congress, and this right may not be interfered with or denied. The bill explicitly allows employees who are aggrieved by a violation of this right to seek administrative remedies that are currently available to whistleblowers who are fired or experience other forms of retaliation. The bill also establishes a private right of action for aggrieved employees, including the option of a jury trial, if an administrative remedy is not issued within 210 days of a complaint being made. The bill applies to employees and contractors of the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of government, including members of the intelligence community.
Reef Safe Act of 2021 This bill requires the Food and Drug Administration(FDA) to develop labeling criteria and standards for Reef Safe and Ocean Safe designations on nonprescription sunscreen. The FDA must also review (and revise if necessary) the criteria and standards for such designations at least once every 10 years.
Puerto Rico Recovery Accuracy in Disclosures Act of 2021 or PRRADA This bill requires professionals employed in debt adjustment cases involving Puerto Rico to file verified statements disclosing their connections with the debtor, creditors, and other interested parties before seeking compensation for their services.
Affordable EVs for Working Families Act This bill allows an income-based tax credit for the purchase of a previously-owned qualified plug-in electric drive motor vehicle. The credit is limited to 30% of the sales price of such a vehicle. The bill defines previously-owned qualified plug-in electric drive motor vehicle to mean a motor vehicle the model year of which is at least two years earlier than the calendar year in which the vehicle is acquired and that meets certain requirements under the Clean Air Act.
Respond, Innovate, Succeed, and Empower Act of 2021 or the RISE Act of 2021 This bill establishes requirements for institutions of higher education (IHEs) concerning students with disabilities. Specifically, the bill requires IHEs to allow students to use certain documents, such as individualized education programs, to establish their disabilities. In addition, IHEs must make the process for determining the eligibility for accommodations transparent. Finally, IHEs must submit key data related to their undergraduate students with disabilities for inclusion in federal postsecondary institution data collection efforts.
