Allegations of sexual harassment and misconduct against business leaders, politicians and artists, have become a front page staple of newspapers across the country.  Many are shocked by the allegations and claim to wonder how they could have stayed secret for so long.  Despite the numerous cases of sexual harassment filed each year in courts throughout the country, rendering the allegations a matter of public record, a bipartisan group in Congress is blaming the increased use of nonpublic arbitrations for keeping allegations quiet.  As a result, they seek passage of a bill intended to prohibit sexual harassment and gender discrimination cases from being resolved privately in arbitration.

The bill, Ending Forced Arbitration of Sexual Harassment, would prohibit businesses from enforcing predispute arbitration agreements of sexual harassment and discrimination claims covered under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended.  A “predispute arbitration agreement” is defined by the bill as “any agreement to arbitrate a dispute that had not yet arisen at the time of the making of the agreement.”  It targets arbitration agreements that an employee might be asked to sign as a condition of getting hired or remaining employed.  The bill does not seek to eliminate predispute arbitration agreements in connection with other types of discrimination claims.

The bill does not address class action waivers, which increasingly have been included in arbitration agreements and require that claims be asserted individually and not on a class basis.  Class action waivers can exist outside the context of arbitration, but they are not addressed in the bill. The bill also does not address the use of confidentiality agreements following the settlement of sexual harassment claims.

The bipartisan group supporting the bill is led by Senators Kirsten Gillibrand, D-NY and Lindsey Graham, R-SC.  Former Fox-News host, Gretchen Carlson, has spoken out in favor of the bill.  According to USA Today, Carlson stated during a press conference this week that “sexual harassment is not partisan because women from all walks of life and politics are targeted.”

Stay tuned for more developments.

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Photo of Salvatore G. Gangemi Salvatore G. Gangemi

Salvatore G. Gangemi, a partner at Murtha Cullina, is a veteran labor and employment lawyer with nearly 30 years of litigation and counseling experience.

Employers from across the industry spectrum, including established companies in the senior living and health care fields; manufacturing, construction…

Salvatore G. Gangemi, a partner at Murtha Cullina, is a veteran labor and employment lawyer with nearly 30 years of litigation and counseling experience.

Employers from across the industry spectrum, including established companies in the senior living and health care fields; manufacturing, construction, retail and service firms; and emerging companies, seek Sal’s legal counsel to navigate today’s complex local, state and federal employment laws. His practice includes resolving disputes; advocating in courts and before administrative agencies; counseling on employment-related issues arising from acquisitions; and guiding clients in both long-range strategy and day-to-day administration of their workplaces and employees.

At the federal level, Sal brings extensive experience in OSHA investigations, audits and proceedings; the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA); Title VII discrimination matters; the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA); the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA); and the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA). He is also well-versed in state and local employment regulations.

Sal regularly represents clients in matters before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the U.S. Department of Labor and other federal agencies. On the state level, he appears before the New York State Division of Human Rights; the New York City Commission on Human Rights; the Connecticut Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities; the Connecticut Department of Labor; and the New York State Department of Labor. He has litigated cases involving misappropriation of trade secrets, restrictive covenants, breach of employment contract, fiduciary duty and other work-related common law claims.

Clients rely on Sal’s advice on routine human resources matters that arise in their businesses, including requests for reasonable accommodation for those with disabilities, family and medical leave issues, hiring and termination, and wage and hour concerns. Known for his proactive approach to identifying issues before they escalate, he conducts compliance training on sexual harassment prevention and other topics, performs worker classification practice and policy audits, and drafts employment policies and agreements. Sal shares his knowledge of the ever-evolving employment law landscape by speaking at events, conducting continuing legal education seminars and writing articles for a variety of publications.

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