The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals recently handed down a landmark decision prohibiting mandatory arbitration of Title VII employment discrimination claims. The court's May 8 ruling forbids all employers, including the securities industry, from requiring employees to sign mandatory arbitration agreements as a condition of hire.
"This unanimous decision is a victory for women and all people of color. The court's ruling stops employers from requiring employees to choose between their jobs and their civil rights," said NOW President Patricia Ireland. "NOW's Women-Friendly Workplace Campaign has been challenging the securities industry and other employers to put an end to this onerous practice."
NOW leaders plan to continue working against mandatory arbitration. "We won't stop until the Ninth Circuit's opinion is the law of the land," Ireland said.
BACKGROUND
Q: What is mandatory arbitration?
A: A requirement that, as a condition of employment, employees must waive their right to a trial by jury in federal district court and must instead file their discrimination claims with arbitration boards.
Q: What are Title VII claims?
A: Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits any employer from discriminating on the basis of race, sex, creed, national origin or religion. For more information, see http://www.eeoc.gov/laws/vii.html.
Link to this release at http://www.now.org/press/05-98/05-13-98.html
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