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Posts in worker rights Committee Will Work to Rebuild and Strengthen America's Middle ClassBy Chairman George Miller on 11-20-2008, 04:38 PM
Today, the Democratic Caucus officially re-elected Rep. George Miller to chair the House Education and Labor Committee for the 111th Congress. 0 Comments | View Full Posting Committee Will Work with Obama-Biden Administration to Rebuild and Strengthen the Middle ClassBy Chairman George Miller on 11-05-2008, 12:14 PM
Yesterday's historic election of Senators Barack Obama and Joe Biden as our next President and Vice President was a true victory for every child, student, worker and family in America. I congratulate Senators Obama and Biden, and I look forward to working closely with them to change the direction of our country and get our economy moving forward again. 0 Comments | View Full Posting Committee Will Continue Work to Strengthen America's Middle ClassBy Betsy Miller Kittredge on 10-16-2008, 02:23 PM
In December 2006, Rep. George Miller, the new Chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee, announced that the Committee would be dedicated to the mission of strengthening America’s middle class. And over the past two years, the Committee has delivered on its promise. America's students, workers, and families need help more than ever during the current financial crisis, and the Committee will continue its work to strengthen the middle class. Below is an overview of the Committee’s legislative milestones in the 110th Congress. 0 Comments | View Full Posting House Votes Again to Protect Americans with Disabilities from DiscriminationBy Betsy Miller Kittredge on 09-17-2008, 03:48 PM
The House of Representatives gave final approval today for legislation to stop discrimination against individuals with disabilities by restoring the original intent of the Americans with Disabilities Act. By a voice vote, the House passed the ADA Amendments Act (S. 3406) to reverse several U.S. Supreme Court decisions that have undermined the Americans with Disabilities Act. Since the ADA’s enactment nearly two decades ago, courts have dramatically reduced the numbers of workers who are protected from employment discrimination under the law. The bill now goes to President Bush for his signature.
“The Americans with Disabilities Act guaranteed that workers with disabilities would be judged on their merits and not on an employer’s prejudices. But, court rulings since the law’s enactment have dramatically limited the ability of people with disabilities to seek justice under the law. Today we make it absolutely clear that the Americans with Disabilities Act protects anyone who faces discrimination on the basis of a disability.” -- Chairman George Miller “This victory today will restore the commonsense, meaningful definition of disability and overturn the Supreme Court’s misinterpretation of our Congressional intent.” -- Rep. Rob Andrews, chairman of the Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor and Pensions 0 Comments | View Full Posting Committee Passes Bill to Help Close Gender Wage GapBy Betsy Miller Kittredge on 07-24-2008, 04:23 PM
The Committee passed the Paycheck Fairness Act today to help end the discriminatory practice of paying men and women unequally for performing the same job, by a 26 to 17 vote. The bill, which was introduced by Rep. Rosa DeLauro, will strengthen the Equal Pay Act and close the loopholes that have allowed employers to avoid responsibility for discriminatory pay. Although the wage gap between men and women has narrowed since the passage of the landmark Equal Pay Act in 1963, gender-based wage discrimination remains a significant problem for women in the U.S. workforce. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, women only make 77 cents for every dollar earned by a man. The Institute of Women’s Policy Research concluded that this wage disparity will cost a woman anywhere from $400,000 to $2 million over her lifetime in lost wages. 0 Comments | View Full Posting Recent Labor Legislative VictoriesBy Betsy Miller Kittredge on 07-18-2008, 01:52 PM
Several labor measures have been signed into law or passed through the House recently, thanks to the Committee's hard work. ADA Amendments Act: Signed Into Law On June 25, the House passed the ADA Amendments Act of 2008 by a vote of 402-17 to stop discrimination against individuals with disabilities by restoring the original intent of the Americans with Disabilities Act. This bipartisan legislation will reverse several U.S. Supreme Court decisions that have undermined the Americans with Disabilities Act. Since the ADA’s enactment nearly two decades ago, courts have dramatically reduced the numbers of workers who are protected from employment discrimination under the law. Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act: Signed Into Law The Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act was signed into law on May 21, preventing health insurers and employers from using Americans’ personal genetic information to discriminate against them. The law prohibits employers from using individuals' genetic information when making hiring, firing, job placement or promotion decisions. It also makes it illegal for group health plans and health insurers to deny coverage to healthy individuals or charge them higher premiums based solely on a genetic predisposition to a specific disease. Child Labor Protection Act: Signed Into Law Employers in the U.S. who violate child labor laws will face stiffer fines under a measure signed into law on May 21. The Child Labor Protection Act, first introduced in 2007 by U.S. Reps. Lynn Woolsey (D-CA) and Joe Wilson (R-SC), increases penalties from $11,000 to $50,000 for violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act that cause the death or serious injury of a child. Airline Flight Crew Technical Corrections Act: Passed by House On May 20, the House passed the Airline Flight Crew Technical Corrections Act by a vote of 402-9, clarifying that flight attendants and pilots are entitled to take unpaid family and medical leave to care for themselves, newborn children, and sick or injured family members. The bill would close a loophole which, because of the unique way many air crews’ hours are calculated, effectively excludes more than 200,000 flight attendants and pilots from coverage under the Family and Medical Leave Act. Worker Protection Against Combustible Dust Explosion and Fires Act: Passed by House On April 30, the House passed the Worker Protection Against Combustible Dust Explosion and Fires Act to help prevent combustible dust explosions like the one at the Imperial Sugar refinery in Port Wentworth, Georgia, on February 7 that killed 13 workers and injured more than 60 others. The measure would require the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to issue rules regulating combustible industrial dusts, like sugar dust, that can build up to hazardous levels and explode. OSHA has known about these dangers for years, but has failed to act. |
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