Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) cosponsored the Protecting Our Workers from Exploitation and Retaliation (POWER) Act, a bicameral bill led by Senator Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) and Representative Judy Chu (D-Calif.). The legislation will provide protections for immigrant workers who report unsafe or unlawful labor practices.
“President Trump’s anti-immigrant rhetoric has emboldened unethical employers to threaten immigrants, causing immigrant workers to endure dangerous work environments without reporting them for fear of retaliation. This dynamic drives down labor standards for all workers,” said Cortez Masto. “This bill will provide necessary safeguards so that immigrant workers are protected while they report and pursue their workplace claim. I’m proud to cosponsor a bill that champions the rights of workers and empowers immigrants to speak out against injustice.”
The bill will also strengthen labor agencies’ investigative powers and allow a stay of removal and work authorization for workers who file a workplace claim. At a time of increasing workplace raids, discrimination, and threats against immigrants, these reforms will protect workers from unscrupulous employers who use illegal business practices and threaten workers with deportation if they go to the authorities.
The bill is also cosponsored in the Senate by Senators Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), and Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.).
The bill text can be viewed HERE.
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