Empowering Striking Workers Act of 2025

This bill lets workers who can’t work because of a labor dispute get unemployment benefits. It covers people directly on strike and those who can’t work because of the strike’s ripple effects. Benefits would start at the earliest of these points: 14 days after a strike begins, when a lockout starts, when the employer hires permanent replacement workers, or when the strike or lockout ends and the person is then out of a job. It also waives the usual “must be available for work” rule for these workers, so they can still qualify during the dispute .

• Who is included: workers affected by a labor dispute, including indirect impact (not just those on the picket line) .
• When pay can start: the earliest of 14 days into a strike, the start of a lockout, the hiring of permanent replacements, or after the dispute ends if the worker becomes unemployed .
• Key change: allows unemployment benefits during labor disputes and removes the normal work-availability requirement for these cases .