Protections and Transparency in the Workplace Act (HR-4599)

This bill focuses on stopping and exposing workplace sexual harassment and discrimination at public companies. It requires clear reporting, fair outside investigations, strong training for workers and managers, and tools that help employees speak up safely.

Key points

Who is affected: Public companies and their employees.
What changes:
- Regular public reports: Companies must disclose, in annual and quarterly filings, how many claims they received, how many are being investigated, how many were resolved, settlements, court judgments, total money paid, and outcomes. They must include data for parent companies, subsidiaries, and affiliates, both combined and broken out. Top leaders and the board must attest they have systems in place and are following these rules.
- Extra “current” reports: Each time a company enters or exits an agreement to resolve a claim, it must file a report and say if the person accused has two or more prior claims. Names may be redacted, and the complainant’s name must be kept private unless they consent.
- Independent investigations: Companies must hire an outside law firm to investigate claims impartially, and the firm must be one all employees involved agree on.
- Training and bystander help: All employees must get training every year; new hires must be trained within 60 days; anyone found to have committed misconduct must retake training. Managers and HR get special training. Training must explain what harassment and discrimination are, how they harm people, how to report or step in as a bystander, and where to find help and resources.
- Employee voice and safety: Companies must run a yearly employee survey about safety and comfort with reporting. They must also set up an anonymous tip line and immediately share tips with the general counsel, head of HR, and the board. An outside law firm must carry out the training and the survey.

What this means for workers and investors: more transparency about problems, independent reviews instead of in‑house control, and stronger training and tools to prevent and report misconduct.

Protections and Transparency in the Workplace Act (HR-4599) · Congress.wiki

Protections and Transparency in the Workplace Act

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