Richard L. Trumka Protecting the Right to Organize Act of 2025

This bill updates federal labor rules to make it easier and safer for workers to organize and bargain at work. It broadens who counts as an employee by using a simple three-part test, so more people are covered by these rights. It speeds up union elections and lets the National Labor Relations Board run union votes remotely by internet or phone within one year . It also bars employers from forcing workers to give up the right to join class or group lawsuits about their jobs. Employers must share voter lists and, if they give employees access to work email or devices, allow reasonable use of them for organizing unless there is a strong business reason to say no.

The bill adds tougher penalties and stronger remedies when employers break labor law. Labor Board orders would take effect right away, and courts could enforce them; ignoring an order can bring fines up to $10,000 per violation, with extra daily fines for defying a final order. If the Board does not act within 60 days on certain charges, a worker can sue in court and seek back pay, front pay, money for harms, double damages, punitive damages, and attorney fees. Employers face civil penalties up to $50,000 per violation, or up to $100,000 in serious or repeat cases, and in some cases company leaders can be held personally responsible . The bill also protects whistleblowers at both unions and employers who report problems or refuse illegal tasks; they can get reinstated, back pay, and other relief, and they can go to court if the Labor Department does not act in time. These whistleblower rights cannot be signed away by forced arbitration or similar agreements .

Key points

• Who is affected: Workers and employers covered by federal labor law, plus employees and agents of unions and employers for whistleblower protections.
• Faster elections and remote voting: Quicker timelines; internet or telephone voting must be available within one year .
• More workers covered: A three-part test (often called the ABC test) means more people count as employees, not contractors.
• First contracts: If talks stall, the dispute goes to mediation and then binding arbitration, with a decision in about 120 days that lasts two years.
• Stronger penalties and remedies: Immediate, enforceable orders; fines and damages; possible personal liability for company leaders in some cases .
• Worker communication: Employers must provide detailed voter lists and allow reasonable use of work email/devices for organizing unless there’s a strong business reason to limit it.
• Whistleblowers: Protects those who report or refuse illegal conduct; rights cannot be waived by forced arbitration .
• When: Remote voting must be up within one year; a federal study on sector-wide bargaining is due within three years .
• What doesn’t change: The bill does not change immigration employment verification rules or the Board’s coverage thresholds, and it keeps employee privacy protections for voter lists in place.