Senator Markey, Representatives Bonamici and Scott Reintroduce Legislation to Ensure Fair Compensation for Workers Who Face Discrimination

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Washington (June 4, 2026) - Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), alongside Representatives Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01) and Robert C. "Bobby" Scott (VA-03), today reintroduced the Equal Remedies Act to secure full financial relief for victims of workplace discrimination.

For more than 30 years, a civil rights law has capped how much money workers can win in discrimination or harassment lawsuits under Title VII and the Americans with Disabilities Act. These limits, tied to the size of an employer's workforce, range from $50,000 for smaller businesses to a ceiling of $300,000 for larger corporations. Federal judges are often forced to reduce jury awards due to these outdated caps, regardless of the severity of the employer's misconduct. The Equal Remedies Act corrects this injustice by eliminating these arbitrary caps, ensuring that victims of discrimination based on sex, religion, race, national origin, and disability can receive the full compensation awarded by a jury.

The legislation also modernizes the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) by expanding relief for older workers. Under the current law, victims of age discrimination lack access to the legal relief available to workers who experience discrimination based on race, color, religion, gender, national origin, or disability. The Equal Remedies Act rectifies this disparity, ensuring equal access to justice for all workers.

"It's outrageous that many workers are still denied financial justice when they experience discrimination on the job while corporations reap record-high profits," said Senator Markey. "Arbitrary and outdated caps routinely force judges to slash jury awards, leaving victims with only a fraction of the payment they deserve despite suffering significant economic and emotional harm. The Equal Remedies Act eliminates these unfair limits, holds abusive employers accountable, and gives seniors and other workers a shot at full compensation and real justice."

"It's unacceptable that many workers are not receiving full compensation after experiencing discrimination," said Congresswoman Bonamici. "Arbitrary caps on awards for discrimination allow irresponsible employers to avoid being held accountable for their wrongdoing and add to the harm experienced by workers in discrimination cases. I'm grateful to partner with Ranking Member Scott and Senator Markey to finally end this outdated and harmful practice."

"Too often, when employers are found liable for discriminating against an employee based on age, for example, the employee is not awarded the full amount that the jury determines they should receive. This is because of a decades-old law that arbitrarily caps damages for employment discrimination. Moreover, the caps have not been adjusted over time to keep pace with inflation. Weak and ineffective penalties do not deter unscrupulous employers from violating workers' rights and protections," said Ranking Member Scott. "The Equal Remedies Act eliminates unfair damage caps and amends the Age Discrimination in Employment Act so employees who experience age discrimination can access the same remedies available to those who experience other forms of discrimination. I am grateful for Rep. Bonamici and Sen. Markey's leadership on this important issue and look forward to fighting alongside them to ensure workers receive the full amount of damages they are awarded by a jury of their peers."

The Equal Remedies Act is endorsed by the National Women's Law Center (NWLC) Action Fund, National Employment Law Project (NELP), Lift Our Voices, Equal Rights Advocates, WorkLife Law, People's Parity Project, National Institute for Workers' Rights, National Employment Lawyers Association, and the American Association for Justice (AAJ).

"For far too long, arbitrary, one-size-fits-all limits on damages in workplace discrimination cases have allowed employers to discriminate at a discount," said Gaylynn Burroughs, Vice President for Education and Workplace Justice at the National Women's Law Center Action Fund. "These caps on jury awards are outdated and unpopular, and it's time to eliminate them once and for all. The Equal Remedies Act would do just that, ensuring that employers who discriminate are held fully accountable and that workers who experience discrimination can be fully compensated for the harm they have suffered."

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