Arbitration

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On March 3, 2022, President Biden signed into law the Ending Forced Arbitration of Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment Act of 2021, codified at 9 U.S.C. § 402 (EFAA). This law, in sum, invalidates any pre-dispute mandatory arbitration clause as it applies to plaintiffs alleging claims of or related to workplace sexual harassment. In a recent…

Read More Court Considers Temporal Applicability of the “Ending Forced Arbitration of Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment Act of 2021”
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In a somewhat terse opinion, the court in Tantaros v. Fox News Network, LLC et al, 2022 WL 4614755 (S.D.N.Y. Sept. 30, 2022) held that New York’s relatively recently-enacted CPLR § 7515 is inconsistent with (and preempted by) the Federal Arbitration Act, and dismissed plaintiff’s sexual harassment case. The court reasoned: In interpreting the Federal…

Read More Andrea Tantaros’ Sexual Harassment Case Dismissed; Federal Arbitration Act Preempts State Law Arbitration Statute
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In Walters v. Starbucks Corp. et al, 2022 WL 3684901 (S.D.N.Y. Aug. 25, 2022), the court held that the plaintiff’s sexual harassment claim was subject to mandatory arbitration. The court explained: Walters argues that federal law prohibits, rather than requires, the enforcement of the Arbitration Agreement. Under the Ending Forced Arbitration of Sexual Assault and…

Read More Sexual Harassment Claims Against Starbucks Must Be Arbitrated, Court Holds
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In Steinberg v. Capgemini America, Inc., 2022 WL 3371323 (E.D.Pa. Aug. 16, 2022), the court granted defendant’s motion to compel arbitration and dismiss plaintiff’s complaint alleging sexual harassment, in light of an arbitration agreement between the parties. The crux of the parties’ dispute was the applicability of the Ending Forced Arbitration of Sexual Assault and…

Read More Sexual Harassment Claims Against Capgemini Must Be Resolved in Arbitration; Arbitration-Limiting Statute Inapplicable
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In a resounding win for employees, Congress passed (with bipartisan support) the “Ending Forced Arbitration of Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment Act of 2021“, which bars the use of forced arbitration to address sexual assault and harassment claims in the workplace. The legislation passed the House on February 7, 2022, and the Senate on February…

Read More Congress Passes Bill to End Forced Arbitration in Cases of Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment
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On November 16, 2021, Congress held a hearing at which several victims of sexual harassment/assault – including actor Eliza Dushku – testified about their negative experiences with forced arbitration. Their stories are horrific; their bravery admirable. While New York has enacted legislation (Section 7515 of the Civil Practice Law & Rules) to curb forced arbitration…

Read More Sexual Harassment/Assault Victims Testify Against Forced Arbitration
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In Govender v. Brooklyn Immunotherapeutics LLC, No. 650847/2021, 2021 WL 5234682 (N.Y. Sup Ct, NY Cty. Nov. 09, 2021), an employment discrimination case, the court granted defendant’s motion to compel arbitration and to stay the action. From the decision: Plaintiff’s affirmation highlights that the arbitration clause is void under CPLR 7515 as it would require…

Read More Employment Discrimination Arbitration Agreement Not Subject to Invalidation on the Ground of Prohibitive Cost
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In Tantaros v. Fox News Network, LLC, No. 20-3413 (2d Cir. Aug. 27, 2021), the court affirmed the district court’s denial of plaintiff Andrea Tantaros’ motion to remand her sexual harassment case to state court. Plaintiff had initially sued in state court, asserting that under New York law (specifically, NY CPLR 7515) her case was…

Read More Andrea Tantaros’ Sexual Harassment Case to Remain in Federal Court
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In Lee v. Engel Burman Grande Care at Jericho, LLC, et al, 20-CV-3093, 2021 WL 3725986 (E.D.N.Y. Aug. 23, 2021), the court granted defendants’ motion to compel arbitration of plaintiff’s sexual harassment claims, and stayed the action pending the outcome of arbitration. Specifically, the court rejected plaintiff’s arguments seeking to avoid arbitration on the grounds…

Read More Sexual Harassment Claims Stayed Pending Arbitration
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In Ahmad v. Colin Day, et al, 20 Civ. 4507, 2021 WL 3700552 (S.D.N.Y. Aug. 20, 2021), the court denied the defendants’ motion to compel arbitration of plaintiff’s claims of employment discrimination. In sum, plaintiff asserts that his former employer and two individual defendants discriminated against him because of his race, color, religion and national…

Read More Motion to Compel Arbitration of Employment Discrimination Claims Denied; Claims Did Not “Arise Out Of” Confidentiality Agreement
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