President Biden signs historic bill to end forced arbitration of sexual assault and harassment into law
On Thursday, March 3, 2022, President Joe Biden signed the Ending Forced Arbitration of Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment Act of 2021 (H.R. 4445), a bipartisan bill passed by Congress last month to make the workplace safer for employees and survivors across the country. The President was joined by legislators and the bill’s champion, Gretchen Carlson, for the signing at the White House.
Lift Our Voices co-founder Gretchen Carlson joins President Biden and Vice President Harris for the signing in the East Room of the White House.
Photo: White House Livestream
The legislation is one of the most significant changes to American labor law in decades, and will eliminate the use of forced arbitration to silence survivors of sexual harassment and abuse in the workplace, shielding millions of employees across the country from toxic work environments.
Sponsored by Senators Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), and Dick Durbin (D-IL), along with Representatives Cheri Bustos (D-IL), Morgan Griffith (R-VA), Pramila Jayapal (D-WA), and Ken Buck (R-CO), the Ending Forced Arbitration of Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment Act passed both the House of Representatives and the Senate with overwhelming bipartisan support.
Journalist and advocate Gretchen Carlson joined President Biden and legislators at the White House at the beginning of Women’s History Month, following a five-year effort to pass the bipartisan legislation on behalf of survivors. Carlson co-founded the non-profit Lift Our Voices following her harassment lawsuit against former Fox News Chairman Roger Ailes, to advocate for survivors of all toxic workplace issues by eliminating the use of harmful nondisclosure agreements and forced arbitration clauses in employment contracts.
“I am thrilled that this day has finally come, and that the American worker will have a safer workplace and expanded rights under the law,” Carlson said. “For too long, survivors across the country have had their voices silenced, and have been forced to deal with the harassment and toxicity they experience in secret, forced arbitration. Now that all changes. I am grateful to President Biden for making this crucial legislation the law of the land, and to the bill’s co-sponsors for all their hard work to protect workers. Lift Our Voices will continue to advocate for further changes to law that protect women, people of color, the LGBTQIA+ community, and all workers from workplace discrimination and abuse, and allow them the freedom and choice to seek justice and accountability.”
ABOUT LOV
Lift Our Voices was launched in December 2019 to create positive, systemic change in American workplaces through the eradication of nondisclosure agreements for toxic work issues and mandatory arbitration clauses. Created and launched by Gretchen Carlson and Julie Roginsky, and Diana Falzone, LOV’s mission is to protect American workers by giving those in toxic work environments the freedom to speak freely about their workplace experiences and free them from the laws and business practices that prevent employees from publicly discussing toxic workplace conditions.
For more information on Lift Our Voices, visit https://www.liftourvoices.org/ and visit their Facebook and Twitter pages.