WASHINGTON – On Tuesday, U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) joined U.S. Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.) and 22 of their Republican colleagues in introducing the Employee Rights Act of 2022, giving American workers and small businesses more choices and flexibility in the workplace. The bill counters the Biden Administration’s efforts under the Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act that would limit worker options and override state right-to-work laws. The newly introduced legislation updates and modernizes the Employee Rights Act to include protections for independent contractors, franchisees, entrepreneurs and anyone seeking flexible work options.
The Employee Rights Act of 2022 offers a forward-looking approach to encourage innovation, support small businesses, offer job flexibility and protect rights in the workplace. It strengthens employees’ privacy, protections against union coercion, eliminates needless disparities and provides all employees, independent contractors and new gig economy workers the necessary protections to ensure economic stability. While President Biden’s Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act places more power in the hands of bureaucrats and union bosses, the Employee Rights Act prioritizes the choices of workers.
More than 60 pro-worker, pro-business groups have endorsed the Employee Rights Act, including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the National Restaurant Association, Institute for the American Worker, International Franchise Association, National Federation of Independent Businesses, the National Restaurant Association, the Small Business and Entrepreneurship Council, and more.
Sens. Johnson and Tim Scott are joined on the bill by Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee Ranking Member Richard Burr (R-N.C.), Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), and Senators John Thune (R-S.D.), John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Mike Braun (R-Ind.), Roger Marshall (R-Kan.), Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.), Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.), John Boozman (R-Ark.), Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Mitt Romney (R-Utah), Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), and Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.).
The full text of the bill can be found here.
