About

Office of Employee Advocacy

The Office of Employee Advocacy serves as the legal counsel for employees of the U.S. House of Representatives who need advice or legal representation regarding matters that arise under the laws and regulations applicable to the House under the Congressional Accountability Act of 1995, as amended by the 2018 Reform Act (collectively, CAA) Employee Advocacy seeks to promote a productive Congressional workplace by: 1) upholding employee rights, 2) minimizing distractions from personnel issues, and 3) creating an environment free of harassment and discrimination. Established by House Resolution 724 (115th Congress), Employee Advocacy provides House employees an assessment of their issues, detailed information on workplace rights, advice on resolution options, counsel regarding the procedures of the CAA, and legal representation on claims they may assert with their management and/or in civil legal matters covered by the CAA.

Employee rights matters include issues based on an employee’s race, color, religion, sex (gender, sexual orientation and gender identity), national origin, age, military service, disability, pregnancy and the use of leave to address a personal or family medical condition (e.g. injury, surgery, chronic condition, parental leave).  Other CAA matters involve disability and pregnancy related reasonable accommodations, workplace safety, genetic information, equity in compensation, overtime compensation, and labor matters (including unionization and labor practice issues).

While Employee Advocacy’s services include representation in litigation, legal services also include consultation and advice aimed at resolving matters without litigation.  Employee Advocacy attorneys have a confidential attorney-client relationship with House employees.  Upon determining that the CAA may be implicated, Employee Advocacy can provide information about employee rights and options when concerns first arise, including ways to resolve matters without litigation, if that is ultimately the employee’s preference.  The office’s attorneys provide legal advice and/or representation to advocate for employees in a range of CAA-covered processes (e.g., informal correspondence and discussions with management, formal complaints in administrative proceedings, labor negotiations, harassment and discrimination investigations, Family and Medical Leave Act requests, workplace safety complaints, reasonable accommodation discussions, compensation and salary disputes).  Employee Advocacy attorneys fulfill this advocacy role without charge.

Claims seeking a remedy for violation of the CAA must begin in the mandatory dispute resolution process with OCWR. Employee Advocacy attorneys can serve as private legal counsel to House employees in proceedings before the OCWR, the House Committee on Ethics, and other administrative or judicial bodies (but not in federal court proceedings).

Employee Advocacy operates a telephone hotline at 202-225-8800 that employees may call to seek advice and representation.  Employees may also submit matters to Employee Advocacy’s email at Employee.Advocacy@mail.house.gov (to maintain confidentiality, employees should send matters using their personal, non-House email accounts), or by fax to 202-225-8802.