issues

Employment Law: Protecting Workers, Not Silencing Them

I’ve worked in HR. I’ve staffed worksites. I’ve seen workers mistreated, underpaid, and silenced—sometimes all in the same week. Our employment laws are failing the very people they’re supposed to protect. It’s time for that to change.

Too many employers today exploit loopholes, weaponize legal jargon, and rely on fear to avoid accountability. If we’re serious about justice, we need to protect workers before they’re forced to lawyer up.

Here’s where I stand:

• Ban NDAs That Silence Workers. Non-disclosure agreements are often used to cover up wage theft, harassment, and discrimination. I support outlawing NDAs that prevent workers from speaking out about unlawful conduct, especially pay disparities, workplace harassment, and abuse.

• Guarantee Immediate Pay for All Hours Worked. No worker should wait weeks—or months—to be paid what they’re owed. I’ll fight for federal legislation that mandates same-week payment for all hours worked, and imposes steep penalties for wage theft and delays.

• Protect Workers from Sexual Harassment and Discrimination. Everyone deserves a safe workplace, free from harassment, bigotry, and retaliation. I’ll push for stronger enforcement mechanisms and expanded protections under Title VII, especially for vulnerable workers in low-wage industries.

• Stop the Exploitation of Teens and Immigrant Workers. From fast food to factories, young workers are often the most abused. I’ll champion tougher labor audits and real consequences for companies that exploit minors or undocumented workers.

• Strengthen Whistleblower Protections. I’ve been there—I know what it’s like to lose a job for doing the right thing. That’s why I support expanding whistleblower protections and providing free legal assistance for employees who report violations in good faith.

• Create a Worker-Powered Reporting System. Too many people don’t even know where to report abuse. I’ll propose legislation to fund education campaigns and modernize the way workers report to agencies like the EEOC, NLRB, and OSHA—making it simpler, safer, and more accessible.

For decades, this country has let corporate lobbyists write the rules of the workplace. That stops now.

I’m running for Congress because I believe no paycheck should come with silence, no job should come with fear, and no worker should ever be punished for demanding dignity.

I was assaulted by an employee who should have never been hired in the first place. This individual had already been terminated twice, yet was rehired because the company failed to follow its own policy of conducting background checks. Had they done so, they would have discovered the employee’s criminal history—including prior assault charges—which should have disqualified them from employment entirely. Their negligence directly put me in harm’s way.

When I (internal supervisor) reported it to HR, they asked me what did I do to cause the fight.

It’s time to rewrite the rules—to protect the people who power this country, not the ones profiting off of them.