Attorneys General: sexual harassment victims have a right to their day in court
(DES MOINES, Iowa) Attorney General Tom Miller today joined a bipartisan coalition of 56 states and territories in urging Congress to end secret, forced arbitration in cases of workplace sexual harassment.
In a letter sent to congressional leaders, the attorneys general ask Congress to pass legislation to ensure that sexual harassment victims have a right to their day in court.
Too often, the attorneys general contend, employees are required to sign employment contracts containing arbitration agreements mandating that sexual harassment claims be resolved through private arbitration instead of the judicial process. The secrecy surrounding these proceedings can protect serial violators and provide inadequate relief to victims.
“Congress today has both opportunity and cause to champion the rights of victims of sexual harassment in the workplace by enacting legislation to free them from the injustice of forced arbitration and secrecy when it comes to seeking redress from egregious misconduct condemned by all concerned Americans,” the attorneys general write.
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