This bill makes it easier for workers to prove discrimination based on age, race, color, religion, sex, national origin, or disability in employment cases. Currently, workers often must show that their protected characteristic was the sole reason for a harmful employment decision; this legislation changes that standard to allow claims if the protected characteristic was "a motivating factor," even if other reasons also played a role. The bill applies these standards to federal employment discrimination claims under the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. However, when employers can show they would have made the same decision anyway, courts are limited in remedies—they may award attorney's fees and injunctions but cannot award monetary damages, reinstatement, or back pay. The law applies to all discrimination claims pending on or after its enactment date, with no specific funding authorization mentioned in the legislation.
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