Protecting Independent Contractors from Discrimination Act of 2026

This legislative proposal seeks to significantly expand protections for individuals working as independent contractors by requiring them to be treated as employees under key federal laws. Specifically, it amends the Civil Rights Act of 1964 , the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 , the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 , the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 , the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 , and the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008 . The amendments uniformly insert language into these acts to include "an individual who provides work for an employer under the terms of an independent contract with such employer" within the definition of "employee" or similar protected categories. This change would extend crucial anti-discrimination safeguards, fair wage provisions, and other labor protections to independent contractors, ensuring they are covered by the same legal frameworks designed to protect traditional employees from various forms of workplace discrimination and exploitation.