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United States Call Center Worker and Consumer Protection Act of 2021
12/31/2022, 5:05 AM
Summary of Bill HR 4603
The bill requires call center companies to notify customers if their call is being transferred to a foreign-based call center and give them the option to be transferred to a US-based representative instead. This is intended to help protect American jobs and ensure that customers have access to representatives who are more familiar with US laws and regulations.
Additionally, the bill requires call center companies that receive federal grants or loans to report on the number of jobs that have been outsourced to foreign countries. This transparency is meant to hold companies accountable for their outsourcing practices and encourage them to keep jobs in the United States. Overall, the United States Call Center Worker and Consumer Protection Act of 2021 seeks to support American workers and promote consumer rights by increasing transparency and accountability in the call center industry.
Congressional Summary of HR 4603
United States Call Center Worker and Consumer Protection Act of 2021
This bill establishes restrictions on businesses that relocate call centers or redirect customer service calls to locations outside the United States.
Specifically, a business must notify the Department of Labor that it intends to move its customer service call center overseas and Labor must maintain a publicly available list of such businesses. Subject to narrow exceptions, a business appearing on such list is ineligible to receive federal grants or guaranteed loans for five years after the business is added to the list. Further, agencies must condition the awarding of government contracts on the requirement that any call center activity pursuant to the contract must be performed in the United States.
Additionally, the bill requires call center employees to disclose their physical location at the beginning of each call initiated or received, unless all employees of the business participating in the communication are located in the United States, among other exceptions.
