Protecting Older Workers Against Discrimination Act of 2021
This bill revises the evidentiary standard for age discrimination by establishing an unlawful employment practice when the complaining party demonstrates that age or participation in an investigation, proceeding, or litigation related to an age discrimination claim was a motivating factor for an adverse practice, even though other factors also motivated the practice (thereby allowing what are commonly known as mixed motive claims).
The bill (1) permits the complaining party to rely on any type or form of admissible evidence, which need only be sufficient for a reasonable trier of fact to find that an unlawful practice occurred; and (2) declares that the complaining party shall not be required to demonstrate that age or retaliation was the sole cause of the employment practice (thereby rejecting the Supreme Court's decision in Gross v. FBL Financial Services, Inc., which requires the complainant to prove that age was the but-for cause for the employer's decision).
The bill applies this evidentiary standard to other employment discrimination and retaliation claims, including claims under the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Americans With Disabilities Act of 1990, and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.
In a claim in which age discrimination is shown, but where the employer demonstrates that it would have taken the same action absent the motivating factor of age, the bill authorizes courts to grant declaratory and injunctive relief, but prohibits the court from awarding damages or issuing an order requiring any admission, reinstatement, hiring, promotion, or payment. This limitation also applies to claims of discrimination based on disability.
The bill also includes reporting requirements for the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the Department of Labor.
[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2062 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
117th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 2062
To amend the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 and other
laws to clarify appropriate standards for Federal employment
discrimination and retaliation claims, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
March 18, 2021
Mr. Scott of Virginia (for himself, Mr. Rodney Davis of Illinois, Ms.
Bonamici, Mr. Fitzpatrick, Ms. Adams, Mr. Katko, Mrs. Axne, Miss
Gonzalez-Colon, Ms. Newman, Mr. Van Drew, Mr. Lowenthal, Mr. Grothman,
Ms. Wild, and Mr. Hollingsworth) introduced the following bill; which
was referred to the Committee on Education and Labor
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 and other
laws to clarify appropriate standards for Federal employment
discrimination and retaliation claims, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Protecting Older Workers Against
Discrimination Act''.
SEC. 2. STANDARDS OF PROOF.
(a) Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967.--
(1) Clarifying prohibition against impermissible
consideration of age in employment practices.--Section 4 of the
Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 (29 U.S.C. 623) is
amended by inserting after subsection (f) the following:
``(g)(1) Except as otherwise provided in this Act, an unlawful
practice is established under this Act when the complaining party
demonstrates that age or an activity protected by subsection (d) was a
motivating factor for any practice, even though other factors also
motivated the practice.
``(2) In establishing an unlawful practice under this Act,
including under paragraph (1) or by any other method of proof, a
complaining party--
``(A) may rely on any type or form of admissible evidence
and need only produce evidence sufficient for a reasonable
trier of fact to find that an unlawful practice occurred under
this Act; and
``(B) shall not be required to demonstrate that age or an
activity protected by subsection (d) was the sole cause of a
practice.''.
(2) Remedies.--Section 7 of such Act (29 U.S.C. 626) is
amended--
(A) in subsection (b)--
(i) in the first sentence, by striking
``The'' and inserting ``(1) The'';
(ii) in the third sentence, by striking
``Amounts'' and inserting the following:
``(2) Amounts'';
(iii) in the fifth sentence, by striking
``Before'' and inserting the following:
``(4) Before''; and
(iv) by inserting before paragraph (4), as
designated by clause (iii) of this
subparagraph, the following:
``(3) On a claim in which an individual demonstrates that age was a
motivating factor for any employment practice under section 4(g)(1),
and a respondent demonstrates that the respondent would have taken the
same action in the absence of the impermissible motivating factor, the
court--
``(A) may grant declaratory relief, injunctive relief
(except as provided in subparagraph (B)), and attorney's fees
and costs demonstrated to be directly attributable only to the
pursuit of a claim under section 4(g)(1); and
``(B) shall not award damages or issue an order requiring
any admission, reinstatement, hiring, promotion, or payment.'';
and
(B) in subsection (c)(1), by striking ``Any'' and
inserting ``Subject to subsection (b)(3), any''.
(3) Definitions.--Section 11 of such Act (29 U.S.C. 630) is
amended by adding at the end the following:
``(m) The term `demonstrates' means meets the burdens of production
and persuasion.''.
(4) Federal employees.--Section 15 of such Act (29 U.S.C.
633a) is amended by adding at the end the following:
``(h) Sections 4(g) and 7(b)(3) shall apply to mixed motive claims
(involving practices described in section 4(g)(1)) under this
section.''.
(b) Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.--
(1) Clarifying prohibition against impermissible
consideration of race, color, religion, sex, or national origin
in employment practices.--Section 703 of the Civil Rights Act
of 1964 (42 U.S.C. 2000e-2) is amended by striking subsection
(m) and inserting the following:
``(m) Except as otherwise provided in this title, an unlawful
employment practice is established when the complaining party
demonstrates that race, color, religion, sex, national origin, or an
activity protected by section 704(a) was a motivating factor for any
employment practice, even though other factors also motivated the
practice.''.
(2) Federal employees.--Section 717 of such Act (42 U.S.C.
2000e-16) is amended by adding at the end the following:
``(g) Sections 703(m) and 706(g)(2)(B) shall apply to mixed motive
cases (involving practices described in section 703(m)) under this
section.''.
(c) Americans With Disabilities Act of 1990.--
(1) Definitions.--Section 101 of the Americans with
Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12111) is amended by adding
at the end the following:
``(11) Demonstrates.--The term `demonstrates' means meets
the burdens of production and persuasion.''.
(2) Clarifying prohibition against impermissible
consideration of disability in employment practices.--Section
102 of such Act (42 U.S.C. 12112) is amended by adding at the
end the following:
``(e) Proof.--
``(1) Establishment.--Except as otherwise provided in this
Act, a discriminatory practice is established under this Act
when the complaining party demonstrates that disability or an
activity protected by subsection (a) or (b) of section 503 was
a motivating factor for any employment practice, even though
other factors also motivated the practice.
``(2) Demonstration.--In establishing a discriminatory
practice under paragraph (1) or by any other method of proof, a
complaining party--
``(A) may rely on any type or form of admissible
evidence and need only produce evidence sufficient for
a reasonable trier of fact to find that a
discriminatory practice occurred under this Act; and
``(B) shall not be required to demonstrate that
disability or an activity protected by subsection (a)
or (b) of section 503 was the sole cause of an
employment practice.''.
(3) Certain anti-retaliation claims.--Section 503(c) of
such Act (42 U.S.C. 12203(c)) is amended--
(A) by striking ``The remedies'' and inserting the
following:
``(1) In general.--Except as provided in paragraph (2), the
remedies''; and
(B) by adding at the end the following:
``(2) Certain anti-retaliation claims.--Section 107(c)
shall apply to claims under section 102(e)(1) with respect to
title I.''.
(4) Remedies.--Section 107 of such Act (42 U.S.C. 12117) is
amended by adding at the end the following:
``(c) Discriminatory Motivating Factor.--On a claim in which an
individual demonstrates that disability was a motivating factor for any
employment practice under section 102(e)(1), and a respondent
demonstrates that the respondent would have taken the same action in
the absence of the impermissible motivating factor, the court--
``(1) may grant declaratory relief, injunctive relief
(except as provided in paragraph (2)), and attorney's fees and
costs demonstrated to be directly attributable only to the
pursuit of a claim under section 102(e)(1); and
``(2) shall not award damages or issue an order requiring
any admission, reinstatement, hiring, promotion, or payment.''.
(d) Rehabilitation Act of 1973.--
(1) In general.--Sections 501(f), 503(d), and 504(d) of the
Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. 791(f), 793(d), and
794(d)), are each amended by adding after ``title I of the
Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12111 et
seq.)'' the following: ``, including the standards of causation
or methods of proof applied under section 102(e) of that Act
(42 U.S.C. 12112(e)),''.
(2) Federal employees.--The amendment made by paragraph (1)
to section 501(f) of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C.
791(f)) shall be construed to apply to all employees covered by
section 501 of that Act (29 U.S.C. 791).
SEC. 3. APPLICATION.
This Act, and the amendments made by this Act, shall apply to all
claims pending on or after the date of enactment of this Act.
SEC. 4. SEVERABILITY.
If any provision of this Act, an amendment made by this Act, or the
application of such provision or amendment to any person or
circumstance is held to be unconstitutional, the remainder of this Act,
the amendments made by this Act, and the application of the provisions
of such to any person or circumstance shall not be affected thereby.
<all>
Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Education and Labor. H. Rept. 117-63.
Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Education and Labor. H. Rept. 117-63.
Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 44.
Rules Committee Resolution H. Res. 486 Reported to House. The resolution provides for 1 hour of debate, orders the previous question, and allows a motion to recommit for each measure. Provides that H. Res. 485 is adopted. Provides that anytime through the legislative day of June 25, 2021, the Speaker may entertain motions offered by the Majority Leader or his designee that the House suspend the rules with respect to multiple measures that were the object of motions to suspend the rules on the legislative days of June 22 or 23, and on which the yeas and nays were ordered and further proceedings postponed.
Considered under the provisions of rule H. Res. 486. (consideration: CR H3052-3067; text: CR H3052-3053)
The resolution provides for 1 hour of debate, orders the previous question, and allows a motion to recommit for each measure. Provides that H. Res. 485 is adopted. Provides that anytime through the legislative day of June 25, 2021, the Speaker may entertain motions offered by the Majority Leader or his designee that the House suspend the rules with respect to multiple measures that were the object of motions to suspend the rules on the legislative days of June 22 or 23, and on which the yeas and nays were ordered and further proceedings postponed.
DEBATE - The House proceeded with one hour of debate on H.R. 2062.
DEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res 486, the House proceeded with 20 minutes of debate on the Scott (VA) amendment en bloc No. 1.
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POSTPONED PROCEEDINGS - At the conclusion of debate on the Scott (VA) amendment en bloc No. 1, the Chair put the question on adoption of the amendment and by voice vote, announced that the ayes had prevailed. Mrs. Foxx demanded the yeas and nays and the Chair postponed further proceedings until a time to be announced.
DEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res 486, the House proceeded with 20 minutes of debate on the Scott (VA) amendment en bloc No. 2.
POSTPONED PROCEEDINGS - At the conclusion of debate on the Scott (VA) amendment en bloc No. 2, the Chair put the question on adoption of the amendment and by voice vote, announced that the noes had prevailed. Mrs. Foxx demanded the yeas and nays an d the Chair postponed further proceedings until a time to be announced.
DEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res 486, the House proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Davis (IL) amendment.
UNFINISHED BUSINESS - The Chair announced that the unfinished business was the question on the Scott amendment en bloc No. 1 which had been debated earlier and on which further proceedings had been postponed.
Motion to reconsider laid on the table. Agreed to without objection.
Motion to reconsider laid on the table. Agreed to without objection.
The previous question was ordered pursuant to the rule.
Passed/agreed to in House: On passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 247 - 178 (Roll no. 180).
Roll Call #180 (House)On passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 247 - 178 (Roll no. 180).
Roll Call #180 (House)Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.