Will it do anything

Bipartisan group rolls out labor rights notification bill

The new legislation would lay out requirements for labor rights notifications.

Jordain Carney

A bipartisan, bicameral contingent of lawmakers unveiled legislation Tuesday that would establish new labor rights notification requirements for employers.

The new bill — introduced by Sens. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) and Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.) in the Senate, and Reps. Riley Moore (R-W.Va.) and Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (D-Wash.) in the House — would mandate that all employers post and maintain notices to employees of their rights in the workplace, according to a copy of the proposal first obtained by POLITICO.

The “Know Your Labor Rights Act” also would require employers to notify new employees of those rights upon their hiring, and penalties would be imposed for noncompliance.

It has backing from Teamsters General President Sean O’Brien, who said in a statement it would “help put power back in the hands of working people.”

“American workers have a right to unionize in the workplace and fight for fair wages,” said Hawley in a separate statement. “That’s why I’m introducing legislation to ensure that employees have basic visibility into their fundamental rights.”

The proposal is part of a “pro-worker” framework championed by Hawley, who has urged his party to embrace more populist-leaning policies. It’s frequently speculated he could run for president in 2028, even as Hawley has batted that down.

As part of his larger framework, Hawley is also backing legislation that would accelerate the timelines for companies to negotiate initial collective bargaining agreements with unionized workers. Rep. Donald Norcross (D-N.J.) filed a discharge petition Monday to circumvent GOP leadership and force a floor vote on the House version of the bill.