The Office of Congressional Workplace Rights (OCWR) was created as a resource for legislative branch employees seeking to understand and exercise their employment rights. Employees of Congress and its instrumentalities may seek assistance from the OCWR in a variety of ways, including:
- Speak with the OCWR’s Confidential Advisor – Our Confidential Advisor provides confidential advice and assistance to covered employees regarding their rights under the Congressional Accountability Act (CAA), at no cost.
- Resolve a Dispute – The OCWR administers an administrative dispute resolution (ADR) process for employees who believe their rights have been violated under certain laws applied by the CAA.
- Report safety and health concerns – If you believe that there are occupational safety and health hazards present in your legislative branch workplace, you may file a request for a safety and health inspection.
- Report accessibility barriers – The CAA requires that legislative branch facilities and services be accessible to members of the public with disabilities, as provided by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). If you have encountered barriers to access, you may file a request for ADA inspection.
- Report unfair labor practices – Employing offices, labor organizations, or individuals may file an unfair labor practice charge if they believe their collective bargaining and unionization rights have been violated.
- Learn about your rights – The OCWR has a comprehensive training education program regarding the rights and protections provided to legislative branch employees under the CAA.
These are just some of the ways the OCWR provides assistance to the legislative branch community. A full list of OCWR forms may be found on the Access All Forms page.
Can’t find what you’re looking for? Please contact the OCWR at (202) 724-9250.