Sponsors (23)
The bill substantially expands anti‑discrimination protections and enforcement access for a broad range of workers (including gig and nontraditional workers) and protected groups, at the cost of significantly greater compliance, litigation, operational burdens for employers—especially small businesses—and increased costs and administrative responsibilities for government and taxpayers.
Most workers — including traditional employees, gig workers, contractors, interns, volunteers, applicants, and federal employees — gain explicit and broader federal protections against discrimination and harassment (including express coverage of sexual orientation and gender identity) so more people can bring claims and obtain remedies under federal law.
Members of protected groups — LGBTQ people, pregnant workers, people with disabilities, non‑English speakers, veterans, and older workers — receive clearer accommodations, accessible materials, and explicit statutory inclusion, improving day-to-day safety, access, and inclusion at work.
Low-income workers, immigrants, and other claimants gain greater practical access to enforcement through funded legal help, outreach grants, fee-shifting for certain claims, and lower proof standards, making it easier and cheaper for victims to pursue remedies.
Small businesses and many employers face substantially higher compliance, litigation, and liability risk because the bill expands who counts as an employer (down to 1 employee) and treats many nonemployees like employees, exposing more entities to federal suits and damages.
Taxpayers and public budgets could incur significant new costs from expanded remedies and damages, unfunded or open-ended grant authorizations, and agency implementation/IT expenses to support reporting and enforcement.
Employers will face substantial administrative and operational burdens — drafting/translating/posting policies, conducting mandated trainings, maintaining documentation, and accommodating use of sex‑segregated facilities — creating time, logistical challenges, and productivity costs.
Based on analysis of 17 sections of legislative text.
Strengthens workplace nondiscrimination by expanding the definition of sex, requiring employer policies and training, extending protections to nonemployees, updating contractor rules, and creating a prevention grant program.
Official title: To prevent discrimination, including harassment, in employment.
Introduced February 13, 2026 by Ayanna Pressley · Last progress February 13, 2026
Creates new, stronger workplace anti-discrimination requirements: employers with 15+ workers must adopt and publish comprehensive nondiscrimination and anti-harassment policies, provide training, and follow specified investigation and reporting practices. The bill expands the legal definition of sex to explicitly include sexual orientation, gender identity, sex stereotypes, sex characteristics, and pregnancy-related conditions; extends many federal employment protections to nonemployee workers (independent contractors, interns, volunteers, trainees, applicants) and covered establishments; updates remedies in some discrimination claims; directs federal procurement and labor agencies to align contractor compliance rules; and establishes a competitive grant program to prevent and respond to workplace discrimination and harassment.