The Employee Rights Act reforms federal labor law by requiring secret ballot elections for union representation instead of card-check procedures, barring undocumented workers from voting in union elections, and establishing privacy protections that limit how unions can use employee personal information and dues without annual written authorization. The bill redefines independent contractor status to emphasize employer control and entrepreneurial risk while protecting franchisor-franchisee relationships, and allows employees in right-to-work states to negotiate directly with employers even in unionized workplaces. It prohibits unions from including diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives in labor agreements unless legally required and increases penalties for labor-related violence while exempting minor incidents during peaceful picketing. The legislation affects millions of workers, unions, employers, and franchisees across the country, though it does not establish new spending or set specific implementation timelines beyond requiring unions to obtain annual written authorization for non-bargaining expenditures.