Labor & Employment

The RISE Act introduces tax incentives to encourage small businesses to offer pension plans to their employees. It increases the startup tax credit for microemployers, allowing them to claim a larger credit for establishing a retirement plan starting in 2027. Additionally, the bill permits service providers who help set up these plans to receive a tax credit for the fees they waive to make the plans affordable. To prevent fraud, the law requires employers to certify that they have not previously received similar credits for the same group of workers. These changes aim to lower the financial barriers for small employers and their service partners to create retirement savings options.

The Manufacturing Jobs for Veterans Act of 2026 establishes a pilot program to help veterans secure employment in the manufacturing sector through a competitive grant system. The Department of Labor will award funds to three states that demonstrate a strong manufacturing industry and a sufficient veteran population to administer these grants. Recipient states will then distribute money to specific manufacturers and labor groups to cover the costs of specialized training, apprenticeships, and on-the-job programs that lead to recognized credentials. To qualify for funding, employers must agree to pay veterans a rate comparable to similar non-veteran positions and provide regular reports on their progress. The program is authorized for five years with a total funding limit of $50 million, and the Department of Labor must submit an annual evaluation to Congress.

The SAFE for Survivors Act of 2026 expands federal protections for individuals affected by domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, stalking, and other forms of gender-based violence. The bill mandates that employers provide victims with up to 40 work days of leave per year, including at least 10 paid days, to address safety needs such as seeking legal help, relocating, or obtaining medical care. It also prohibits insurers from discriminating against victims by denying coverage, raising premiums, or terminating policies based on their status as survivors, while banning the disclosure of their personal information without consent. Additionally, the legislation allows victims to receive unemployment compensation if they leave their jobs due to violence and requires employers to make reasonable workplace accommodations to ensure their safety.

The FARM AI Act of 2026 directs the U.S. Department of Agriculture to integrate artificial intelligence into its research, education, and extension programs to help farmers improve productivity and resource management. This legislation mandates that federal funding for agricultural sciences include specific projects focused on AI adoption, workforce training, and the development of precision farming tools. To coordinate these efforts, the bill creates a new position called the Artificial Intelligence Agriculture Advisor, who will work with other agencies to promote AI use and establish national standards for the sector. Ultimately, the law aims to support small and family-run farms by providing technical assistance and ensuring access to modern digital technologies.

The Early Childhood Workforce Advancement Act of 2026 creates a competitive grant program to help partnerships establish or expand training programs for early childhood education careers. These grants are awarded to groups that include colleges, child care providers, and community organizations, with a focus on areas that have shortages of childcare workers. The funding can be used to develop educational materials, support student recruitment and retention, improve teacher training, and offer financial assistance like scholarships or stipends to students. Priority is given to applicants serving rural and urban communities and those providing care for infants, toddlers, and children with disabilities. Recipients must submit annual reports and undergo independent evaluations to ensure the programs effectively improve education outcomes.

The Protect Working Musicians Act of 2026 allows independent musicians and small music businesses to collectively negotiate licensing terms with large online music platforms without facing antitrust lawsuits. This protection applies specifically to creators who earn less than $1 million in licensing revenue or qualify as small businesses, enabling them to form groups to discuss fair rates and refuse unfair deals. The law defines "dominant platforms" as those generating over $100 million in music distribution revenue and extends these negotiation rights to include discussions with companies developing generative artificial intelligence. By shielding these groups from legal liability, the bill aims to correct an imbalance where smaller creators currently lack the power to bargain effectively against major digital services.

The Protect College Sports Act of 2026 establishes a new framework for college athletics that grants student athletes the right to earn money from their name, image, and likeness without fear of losing scholarships or eligibility, while requiring institutions to disclose these deals in a public database. The bill strengthens protections for athletes by mandating better medical coverage, prohibiting coaches from influencing medical return-to-play decisions, and creating an independent ombudsman office to assist student athletes with grievances. It also introduces stricter rules on agent registration, limits on mid-season coaching transitions, and protections for athletes transferring schools or facing sexual misconduct. On the broadcasting side, the legislation creates a new entity to collectively sell media rights for college sports, ensuring that revenue is distributed fairly and that local fans can access games without paying extra fees. The law further restricts large conference mergers to preserve competition and requires that non-revenue sports like women's and Olympic programs maintain their current roster sizes and scholarship opportunities. Finally, the act sets up a congressional commission to study the future of college athletics and make recommendations on structural changes, including potential adjustments to revenue sharing caps.

This bill, known as the Conrad 30 Physician Workforce Optimization Act, aims to increase the number of available visa slots for foreign-trained doctors in the United States from 10 to 15 per state. It also creates a new online portal to help states and hospitals find these doctors who have applied for work visas but were not initially selected or could not apply due to state limits. Under the new system, states with unused visa slots can review these doctors' credentials during a special 60-day period to fill positions in underserved areas. To ensure fairness, employers using this portal must certify that they have already tried to hire locally and that the facility serves a community with a shortage of healthcare providers.

The Capitol Police Retirement Reform Act of 2026 changes how overtime pay earned by Capitol Police officers counts toward their retirement benefits. Specifically, it allows overtime pay received under the Fair Labor Standards Act to be treated as basic salary for calculating future pensions, but only if the officer has at least 15 years of service before retiring. This provision applies to overtime earned after the bill becomes law and ensures that such pay can contribute to both the officer's own annuity and a survivor annuity for their family. Additionally, the bill requires the Capitol Police to report relevant financial data annually to the Office of Personnel Management to help manage these retirement calculations.

The Loan Forgiveness for Educators Act of 2026 expands existing federal student loan relief programs to offer full debt cancellation for teachers and early childhood educators who work in high-need schools or specific early childhood programs for five years. Under the bill, eligible educators can receive 100 percent forgiveness of their outstanding loans after completing five years of service, which may be consecutive or nonconsecutive, while also qualifying for monthly loan payments to be made by the government during their employment. The legislation defines "high need schools" as those with at least 30 percent of students from low-income families and includes various early childhood settings, while also extending benefits to parents who borrow PLUS loans for their qualifying children or who are educators themselves. To support implementation, the law requires the Department of Education to publish a list of eligible schools and programs, allows for self-certification in some early childhood roles, and ensures that educators who leave their positions early or are promoted within the same organization do not lose their eligibility for forgiveness.