guidance, opinion, ruling, standard, order, adjudicative decision, or other interpretation in effect on the day before the date of such action, unless such reduction is explicitly and specifically mandated by an Act of Congress. (2) Request for Congressional action The Secretary may submit a proposal to Congress for a reduction described in paragraph (1), but shall not take any action described in such paragraph without an explicit and specific mandate by an Act of Congress. (3) Standard of deference Notwithstanding chapter 7 of title 5, United States Code, in any action for judicial review of an agency action under such chapter, a reviewing court shall defer to a regulation, guidance, opinion, ruling, standard, order, adjudicative decision, or other interpretation issued by the agency that increases or otherwise strengthens a protection afforded to an employee under this Act unless such regulation, guidance, opinion, ruling, standard, order, adjudicative decision, or other interpretation is plainly erroneous or inconsistent with this Act. . (b) National Labor Relations Act The National Labor Relations Act ( 29 U.S.C. 151 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following: 20. General standards for applying and interpreting workers' rights (a) Interpretation of protections and exemptions (1) Protections All protections afforded employees under this Act, including as applied through the definitions under section 2, shall be interpreted expansively in favor of the employee or individual claiming classification as an employee. (2) Exemptions and exclusions (A) In general All exemptions and exclusions under this Act, including as applied through the definitions under section 2, shall be interpreted narrowly against the employer, or person alleged to be an employer, and limited in application to those persons or circumstances plainly and unmistakably within the language and spirit of the exemption or exclusion. (B) Clear and convincing evidence Any person asserting the applicability of an exemption or exclusion