Assistant Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Katherine Clark (MA-5) released the following statement after President Joe Biden signed the Ending Forced Arbitration of Sexual Assault & Sexual Harassment Act into law. The new law will void forced arbitration agreements in any contract if a survivor of sexual assault or harassment chooses to bring forward a claim. For employment contracts, more than 60 million Americans will be impacted. The House of Representatives passed the bill on February 7, 2022 by a vote of 335 to 97.

"Forced arbitration provisions coerce survivors to remain silent in the face of sexual harassment and assault and rob them of the opportunity to pursue justice. By enacting this bill into law, President Biden and Congressional Democrats are helping survivors step out of the shadows and rebalance the scales of justice. Today, we say no more to abusers hiding from accountability, and no more to forced arbitration."

The Ending Forced Arbitration of Sexual Assault & Sexual Harassment law builds on Assistant Speaker Clark's support for survivors of sexual assault and harassment. She is the author of the Bringing an End to Harassment by Enhancing Accountability and Rejecting Discrimination (BE HEARD) in the Workplace Act. This legislation is the first comprehensive response to the #MeToo movement and takes critical steps to prevent workplace harassment and ensure workers can seek accountability and justice.

Text of the Ending Forced Arbitration of Sexual Assault & Sexual Harassment Act into law is available HERE.

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