Equal Remedies Act of 2026
- Bill Number
- H.R. 9116
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 2
- Policy Area
- Civil Rights and Liberties, Minority Issues
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2026-06-03: Referred to the Committee on Education and Workforce, and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
- Last Updated
- 2026-07-06T15:32:10Z
AI-Generated Summary
Equal Remedies Act of 2026 (H.R. 9116)
Purpose
The legislation aims to standardize available remedies in employment discrimination cases by expanding compensatory damages and jury trial rights under existing statutes and by aligning remedies for age discrimination with those available under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
Key Provisions
- Equalization of remedies under 42 U.S.C. 1981a: Revises the definition of compensatory damages to explicitly include past and future pecuniary losses as well as non-pecuniary losses such as emotional pain, suffering, inconvenience, mental anguish, and loss of enjoyment of life. It also permits any party to demand a jury trial in covered cases.
- Amendments to the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA): Replaces prior remedy language with the enforcement powers, remedies, and procedures from sections 705, 706, 707, 709, and 710 of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. It further authorizes any type of legal or equitable relief available under Title VII for age discrimination claims.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
- Removes prior limitations on the scope of damages under section 1977A, broadening recovery to cover a wider range of non-economic harms.
- Extends Title VII-style remedies, including compensatory and punitive damages and jury trials, to ADEA claims, which previously relied on more restricted enforcement mechanisms.
- Eliminates specific references to unpaid wages or overtime in ADEA enforcement, replacing them with broader equitable and legal relief options.
Potential Impacts
- On government agencies: Increases the scope of remedies the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and Attorney General may pursue in age discrimination cases, potentially raising administrative and litigation workloads.
- On citizens: Provides expanded monetary recovery and jury trial access for individuals alleging intentional employment discrimination on bases covered by section 1977A or age discrimination under the ADEA.
- On international relations: No direct effects identified in the bill text.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Employees and job applicants alleging discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, or age.
- Employers subject to federal anti-discrimination requirements.
- The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and Department of Justice.
- Federal courts handling employment discrimination litigation.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Promotes uniformity in remedies across civil rights statutes, potentially reducing disparities in outcomes between different protected categories.
- Raises questions about the interaction between statutory damage limits and constitutional jury trial rights under the Seventh Amendment in federal employment cases.
- Applies only to private-sector and certain public-sector claims without altering sovereign immunity or other constitutional protections.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Rep. Bonamici, Suzanne [D-OR-1]
Cosponsors (4)
Rep. Scott, Robert C. "Bobby" [D-VA-3], Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large], Rep. Jayapal, Pramila [D-WA-7], Rep. Frankel, Lois [D-FL-22]
Recent Actions
- 2026-06-03: Referred to the Committee on Education and Workforce, and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
- 2026-06-03: Referred to the Committee on Education and Workforce, and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
- 2026-06-03: Introduced in House
- 2026-06-03: Introduced in House
Bill Versions
- Equal Remedies Act of 2026 — issued 2026-06-03 — PDF (3 pages)