Congress moves to shield striking workers' health coverage from employer retaliation
S. 1984 — Striking and Locked Out Workers Healthcare Protection Act · Filed by Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) · 14 cosponsors · Introduced Jun 5, 2025 · Referred to committee
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What it does
This bill amends the National Labor Relations Act to prohibit employers from canceling or reducing health insurance coverage for employees during lockouts or lawful strikes. It imposes civil penalties of up to $75,000 per violation during lockouts (doubled to $150,000 if the employer has prior violations and the action causes serious economic harm) and up to $50,000 per violation during strikes (doubled to $100,000 under similar circumstances), with potential personal liability for company directors and officers who knowingly permit the violation.
Why we flagged it
The bill's core function is to strengthen worker protections during labor disputes by preventing employers from weaponizing health insurance termination. It is fundamentally a labor-rights measure with secondary healthcare access implications.
What the text implies
- Employers may shift to alternative cost-control strategies during labor disputes (e.g., reducing hours, accelerating automation, or relocating operations), potentially offsetting the intended protection.
- The bill creates potential liability for individual corporate officers, which may incentivize more defensive HR practices and increased legal compliance costs for employers.
The full analysis lists 4 implications of this text.
Who stands to gain
labor unions; unionized workers; healthcare providers (through continued patient coverage during strikes)