Congressional Accountability Act of 1995
Encyclopedia
The Congressional Accountability Act of 1995 (CAA), one of the first pieces of legislation passed by the 104th United States Congress
, applied several civil rights
, labor
, and workplace safety and health laws to the U.S. Congress and its associated agencies, requiring them to follow many of the same employment and workplace safety laws applied to businesses and the federal government
. Previously, agencies in the legislative branch
had been exempt to these laws. The act also established a dispute resolution procedure as an alternative to filing claims in federal court.
The act is administered and enforced by the United States Congress Office of Compliance
.
104th United States Congress
The One Hundred Fourth United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, composed of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, DC from January 3, 1995 to January 3, 1997, during the third and...
, applied several civil rights
Civil rights
Civil and political rights are a class of rights that protect individuals' freedom from unwarranted infringement by governments and private organizations, and ensure one's ability to participate in the civil and political life of the state without discrimination or repression.Civil rights include...
, labor
United States labor law
United States labor law is a heterogeneous collection of state and federal laws. Federal law not only sets the standards that govern workers' rights to organize in the private sector, but also overrides most state and local laws that attempt to regulate this area. Federal law also provides more...
, and workplace safety and health laws to the U.S. Congress and its associated agencies, requiring them to follow many of the same employment and workplace safety laws applied to businesses and the federal government
Federal government of the United States
The federal government of the United States is the national government of the constitutional republic of fifty states that is the United States of America. The federal government comprises three distinct branches of government: a legislative, an executive and a judiciary. These branches and...
. Previously, agencies in the legislative branch
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
had been exempt to these laws. The act also established a dispute resolution procedure as an alternative to filing claims in federal court.
The act is administered and enforced by the United States Congress Office of Compliance
United States Congress Office of Compliance
The United States Congress Office of Compliance is an independent federal agency within the legislative branch of the United States government. It was created to administer and enforce the Congressional Accountability Act of 1995...
.
Specific laws applied
The CAA applies twelve specific laws to the U.S. Congress and its associated agencies, giving various rights to the 30,000 employees in the legislative branch.- Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 is a law that was enacted by the U.S. Congress in 1990. It was signed into law on July 26, 1990, by President George H. W. Bush, and later amended with changes effective January 1, 2009....
. Offices in the legislative branch must make their public services, programs, activities, and places of public accommodation accessible to members of the public who have a disability.
- Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967. Employees 40 years old or older cannot be discriminated against in personnel actions because of their age.
- Federal Service Labor-Management Relations StatuteFederal Labor Relations AuthorityThe Federal Labor Relations Authority is an independent agency of the United States government that governs labor relations between the federal government and its employees....
. Certain legislative branch employees have the right to join a union and collectively bargain with an employing office.
- Rehabilitation Act of 1973. Employees cannot be discriminated against in personnel actions because of a disability, and offices may be required to accommodate the special needs of a person with a disability.
- Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964Civil Rights Act of 1964The Civil Rights Act of 1964 was a landmark piece of legislation in the United States that outlawed major forms of discrimination against African Americans and women, including racial segregation...
. Employees cannot be harassed or discriminated against in personnel actions because of their race, color, religion, sex, or national origin.
- Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938. Employees must get paid at least the current minimum wage, and certain employees are entitled to overtime pay.
- Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993The Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 is a United States federal law requiring covered employers to provide employees job-protected unpaid leave for qualified medical and family reasons. These reasons include personal or family illness, military service, family military leave, pregnancy,...
. Employees are entitled to 12 weeks of leave from work for certain family and medical reasons.
- Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act of 1989. Employees are entitled to be given advance notice of an office closing or mass layoff.
- Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970. Workplaces in the legislative branch must be free of hazards that are likely to cause death or serious injury.
- Employee Polygraph Protection Act of 1988. With limited exceptions, employees cannot be required to take polygraphPolygraphA polygraph measures and records several physiological indices such as blood pressure, pulse, respiration, and skin conductivity while the subject is asked and answers a series of questions...
(lie detectorLie detectionLie detection is the practice of attempting to determine whether someone is lying. Activities of the body not easily controlled by the conscious mind are compared under different circumstances. Usually this involves asking the subject control questions where the answers are known to the examiner...
) tests.
- Veterans' employment and reemployment rights in Chapter 43 of Title 38 of the United States CodeTitle 38 of the United States CodeTitle 38 of the United States Code outlines the role of Veterans' Benefits in the United States Code.* Part I—General Provisions* Part II—General Benefits* Part III—Readjustment and Related Benefits* Part IV—General Administrative Provisions...
, and amended in 1998 to include portions of the Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998. Employees cannot be discriminated against for past or present duty in the uniformed servicesUniformed services of the United StatesThe United States has seven federal uniformed services that commission officers as defined by Title 10, and subsequently structured and organized by Title 10, Title 14, Title 33 and Title 42 of the United States Code.-Uniformed services:...
, and those who leave work to perform uniformed service are entitled to be reemployed in their old job after a service obligation ends.