House Democrats pass bill allowing illegal immigrants to seek damages from employers

The House of Representatives passed a bill on Friday that would make illegal immigrants eligible for damages from their employer if their labor rights are violated.

The bill, passed almost entirely by Democrats, aims to expand labor protections, boost unions, and end worker misclassification. The bill also effectively abolishes state right-to-work laws.

“The penalties for violating the [National Labor Relations Act] are weaker than those for violating other labor and employment laws, and workers lack a private right of action to pursue relief on their own,” a Committee on Education and Labor fact sheet said. “Workers are frequently misclassified as independent contractors or supervisors, and thus excluded from the protections afforded to employees covered by the NLRA.”

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