Protecting Independent Contractors from Discrimination Act of 2026

H.R. 10035 amends six federal civil rights and labor laws to extend federal non-discrimination and equal pay protections to independent contractors. It updates the definition of an "employee" or covered individual across these laws to explicitly include anyone providing work for an employer under an independent contract.

* **Independent contractors:** Individuals who work for an employer under an independent contract rather than as traditional employees. * **Employers:** Entities that hire or contract with independent contractors to perform work.

The bill modifies six federal statutes to give independent contractors the same baseline civil rights protections as standard employees: * **Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964:** Protects contractors from discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. * **Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 (ADEA):** Protects contractors from age-based discrimination. * **Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 (FLSA):** Applies Equal Pay Act requirements to contractors, requiring equal pay for equal work regardless of sex. * **Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA):** Protects contractors from disability-based discrimination. * **Rehabilitation Act of 1973:** Extends legal remedies and protections under Section 505(a)(1) to contractors. * **Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008 (GINA):** Protects contractors from discrimination based on genetic information. Employers would be legally prohibited from engaging in these forms of discrimination against independent contractors.

The provided summary does not outline any federal spending, taxes, fees, or appropriations associated with this bill.

The summary does not list specific exemptions, small-business limits, implementation deadlines, or enforcement procedures beyond applying the broad protections of the six listed civil rights statutes to independent contractors.

This legislation ensures that federal laws banning discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, or genetic information—as well as federal equal pay laws—apply to independent contractors just as they do to traditional employees.