S852-119

Introduced

To amend the National Labor Relations Act, the Labor Management Relations Act, 1947, and the Labor-Management Reporting and Disclosure Act of 1959, and for other purposes.

119th Congress Introduced Mar 5, 2025

Summary

What This Bill Does

The bill expands the definition of 'employer' to include joint employers who share control over workers' essential terms, and adopts the ABC test to classify most workers as employees rather than independent contractors unless, requires reinstates NLRB annual reporting requirements that had lapsed, and adds new requirements for reports to include ethics recusal disclosures for Board members, and prohibits employers from permanently replacing striking workers, discriminating against returning strikers, or locking out workers before a strike. Also makes it unlawful for employers to misrepresent to workers that. It relies on compliance mandates, definition changes, reporting requirements, and liability protections. The main policy areas are Labor, Finance, Appropriations, and Agriculture.

Who Benefits and How

Labor unions could face fewer barriers, National Labor Relations Board could gain revenue opportunities, and Workers who participate in strikes could face reduced risk.

Who Bears the Burden and How

Employers who commit unfair labor practices could face higher costs, Gig economy companies (Uber, Lyft, DoorDash, etc.) could face higher costs, and Employers who violate NLRB orders could face higher costs.

Key Provisions

  • Expands the definition of 'employer' to include joint employers who share control over workers' essential terms, and adopts the ABC test to classify most workers as employees rather than independent contractors unless...
  • Requires reinstates NLRB annual reporting requirements that had lapsed, and adds new requirements for reports to include ethics recusal disclosures for Board members.
  • Prohibits employers from permanently replacing striking workers, discriminating against returning strikers, or locking out workers before a strike. Also makes it unlawful for employers to misrepresent to workers that...
  • Requires reforms union election procedures: allows elections by mail, electronic, or off-site voting at labor organization's request; removes employer standing in representation proceedings; requires NLRB to find...
  • Requires dramatically increases damages for employer unfair labor practices: mandates full back pay without reduction for interim earnings, front pay, consequential damages, and liquidated damages equal to double...

Evidence Chain:

This summary is generated from the full bill text using AI analysis. Expand "Detailed Analysis" below for identified beneficiaries/burden bearers with clause-level evidence links.

At a Glance

What This Bill Does

The bill expands the definition of 'employer' to include joint employers who share control over workers' essential terms, and adopts the ABC test to classify most workers as employees rather than independent contractors unless, requires reinstates NLRB annual reporting requirements that had lapsed, and adds new requirements for reports to include ethics recusal disclosures for Board members, and prohibits employers from permanently replacing striking workers, discriminating against returning strikers, or locking out workers before a strike. Also makes it unlawful for employers to misrepresent to workers that.

Key Policy Areas

Labor, Finance, Appropriations, Agriculture

Primary Purpose

The bill expands the definition of 'employer' to include joint employers who share control over workers' essential terms, and adopts the ABC test to classify most workers as employees rather than independent contractors unless, requires reinstates NLRB annual reporting requirements that had lapsed, and adds new requirements for reports to include ethics recusal disclosures for Board members, and prohibits employers from permanently replacing striking workers, discriminating against returning strikers, or locking out workers before a strike. Also makes it unlawful for employers to misrepresent to workers that.

Policy Domains

Labor Finance Appropriations Agriculture

Title I - Worker Freedom and Workplace Democracy

Identified Gains
  • Labor unions
  • National Labor Relations Board
  • Workers who participate in strikes
  • Workers fired for union activity
  • Labor unions seeking to organize workers
Model: codex-gpt-5:bulk-repair | Version: bill_summary_v2 | Source: is
Labor unions: , , , ,
National Labor Relations Board: ,
Workers fired for union activity:
Workers who participate in strikes:
Labor unions seeking to organize workers:
Identified Costs
  • Employers who commit unfair labor practices
  • Gig economy companies (Uber, Lyft, DoorDash, etc.)
  • Employers who violate NLRB orders
  • Employers in all industries
  • Anti-union consultants and law firms
Model: codex-gpt-5:bulk-repair | Version: bill_summary_v2 | Source: is
Employers in all industries:
Employers who violate NLRB orders:
Anti-union consultants and law firms:
Employers who commit unfair labor practices: ,
Gig economy companies (Uber, Lyft, DoorDash, etc.):

Legislative Progress

Introduced
Introduced Committee Passed
Mar 5, 2025

Mr. Sanders (for himself, Mrs. Murray, Mr. Schumer, Ms. Alsobrooks, …

Stakeholder Effects

cui bono?

How this legislation distributes effects. Mention counts reflect frequency, not effect magnitude.

Labor
14 mentions across 9 clauses
+14 positive

Labor unions, Labor unions seeking to organize workers, Undocumented workers

All Industries
8 mentions across 8 clauses
-8 negative

Employers charged with serious ULPs, Employers facing union organizing campaigns, Employers in all industries

Government
5 mentions across 5 clauses
+2 positive -2 negative ?1 uncertain

Federal courts, National Labor Relations Board

National Labor Relations Board faces effects in multiple directions

Professional Services
2 mentions across 2 clauses
+1 positive -1 negative

Anti-union consultants and law firms, Labor and employment attorneys

Positive-direction: Labor and employment attorneys

Negative-direction: Anti-union consultants and law firms

-1 negative

Gig economy companies (Uber, Lyft, DoorDash, etc.)

Business
1 mention across 1 clause
-1 negative

Companies using independent contractors

Food & Beverage
1 mention across 1 clause
-1 negative

Franchisors in fast food and retail

General Public
1 mention across 1 clause
+1 positive

Government transparency advocates

11/17
sections analyzed
Full impact breakdown

Bill Structure & Actor Mappings

Who is "The Secretary" in each section?

Domains
Labor Finance Appropriations Agriculture
Actor Mappings
"the_board"
→ National Labor Relations Board (NLRB)
"the_secretary"
→ Secretary of Labor
Domains
Labor Reporting Requirements
Actor Mappings
"the_board"
→ National Labor Relations Board (NLRB)
Domains
Appropriations

Key Definitions

Terms defined in this bill

3 terms
"joint employer" §101(a)

Two or more persons are employers with respect to an employee if each codetermines or shares control over the employee's essential terms and conditions of employment, including indirect control or reserved authority to control.

"employee (ABC test)" §101(b)

An individual performing any service is an employee (not independent contractor) unless: (A) free from control in fact and contract, (B) service outside employer's usual course of business, (C) customarily engaged in independent trade of same nature.

"supervisor" §101(c)

Definition narrowed to require supervisory duties for a majority of worktime; removes authority to 'assign' or 'responsibly direct' from supervisor definition.

We use a combination of our own taxonomy and classification in addition to large language models to assess meaning and potential beneficiaries. High confidence means strong textual evidence. Always verify with the original bill text.

Learn more about our methodology