---
kind: "section"
citation: "15 U.S.C. § 2623"
title: "15"
title_heading: "Commerce and Trade"
number: "2623"
heading: "Employment effects"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/15/2623"
units:
  - "Chapter 53 — Toxic Substances Control"
  - "Subchapter I — Control of Toxic Substances"
---

# §2623. Employment effects

- (a) **In general—** The [Administrator](/usc/15/2602.md?p=1) shall evaluate on a continuing basis the potential effects on employment (including reductions in employment or loss of employment from threatened plant closures) of—
  - (1) the issuance of a rule or order under section [2603](/usc/15/2603.md), [2604](/usc/15/2604.md), or [2605](/usc/15/2605.md) of this title, or
  - (2) a requirement of section [2604](/usc/15/2604.md) or [2605](/usc/15/2605.md) of this title.
- (b) **Investigations—**
  - (1) Any employee (or any representative of an employee) may request the [Administrator](/usc/15/2602.md?p=1) to make an investigation of—
    - (A) a discharge or layoff or threatened discharge or layoff of the employee, or
    - (B) adverse or threatened adverse effects on the employee’s employment,

    allegedly resulting from a rule or order under section [2603](/usc/15/2603.md), [2604](/usc/15/2604.md), or [2605](/usc/15/2605.md) of this title or a requirement of section [2604](/usc/15/2604.md) or [2605](/usc/15/2605.md) of this title. Any such request shall be made in writing, shall set forth with reasonable particularity the grounds for the request, and shall be signed by the employee, or representative of such employee, making the request.

  - (2)
    - (A) Upon receipt of a request made in accordance with [paragraph (1)](#b-1) the [Administrator](/usc/15/2602.md?p=1) shall (i) conduct the investigation requested, and (ii) if requested by any interested [person](/usc/15/7a.md?p=6), hold public hearings on any matter involved in the investigation unless the [Administrator](/usc/15/2602.md?p=1), by order issued within 45 days of the date such hearings are requested, denies the request for the hearings because the [Administrator](/usc/15/2602.md?p=1) determines there are no reasonable grounds for holding such hearings. If the [Administrator](/usc/15/2602.md?p=1) makes such a determination, the [Administrator](/usc/15/2602.md?p=1) shall notify in writing the [person](/usc/15/7a.md?p=6) requesting the hearing of the determination and the reasons therefor and shall publish the determination and the reasons therefor in the Federal Register.
    - (B) If public hearings are to be held on any matter involved in an investigation conducted under this subsection—
      - (i) at least five days’ notice shall be provided the [person](/usc/15/7a.md?p=6) making the request for the investigation and any [person](/usc/15/7a.md?p=6) identified in such request, and
      - (ii) each employee who made or for whom was made a request for such hearings and the employer of such employee shall be required to present information respecting the applicable matter referred to in paragraph [(1)(A)](#b-1-A) or [(1)(B)](#b-1-B) together with the basis for such information.
  - (3) Upon completion of an investigation under [paragraph (2)](#b-2), the [Administrator](/usc/15/2602.md?p=1) shall make findings of fact, shall make such recommendations as the [Administrator](/usc/15/2602.md?p=1) deems appropriate, and shall make available to the public such findings and recommendations.
  - (4) This section shall not be construed to require the [Administrator](/usc/15/2602.md?p=1) to amend or repeal any rule or order in effect under this chapter.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 94–469, title I, § 24, Oct. 11, 1976, 90 Stat. 2045; renumbered title I, Pub. L. 99–519, § 3(c)(1), Oct. 22, 1986, 100 Stat. 2989; amended Pub. L. 114–182, title I, § 19(p), June 22, 2016, 130 Stat. 510.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Amendments

2016—Subsec. (b)(2)(B)(ii), (iii). Pub. L. 114–182 redesignated cl. (iii) as (ii) and struck out former cl. (ii) which read as follows: “such hearings shall be held in accordance with section 2605(c)(3) of this title, and”.

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date

Section effective Jan. 1, 1977, see section 31 of Pub. L. 94–469, set out as a note under section 2601 of this title.