For Immediate Release: February 10th, 2022
Contact: JON CARVALHO

PRESS RELEASE:

Senate passes historic legislation to protect survivors of sexual assault and harassment, spearheaded by Gretchen Carlson

Legislation will be sent to President Biden’s Desk with White House Support

On Thursday, February 10, 2022, the Senate voted unanimously to pass the Ending Forced Arbitration of Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment Act of 2021 (S. 2342), a bipartisan bill that would protect survivors and workers across the country. Sponsored by Senators Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY,) Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and Dick Durbin (D-IL), the bill would eliminate the use of forced arbitration clauses to prohibit survivors of sexual harassment and abuse in the workplace from speaking freely and protecting others.

The Ending Forced Arbitration of Sexual Assault and Harassment Act of 2021 was passed 335-97 with broad bipartisan support in the House on Monday. The bipartisan bill is championed by journalist and advocate, Gretchen Carlson, who has spent five years spearheading the legislation on behalf of survivors. Following her lawsuit against former Fox News Chairman, Roger Ailes, Carlson co-founded the non-profit organization, Lift Our Voices, to eliminate the harmful use of nondisclosure agreements and forced arbitration clauses in employment contracts.

“Today’s vote means that this historic bipartisan bill will become law once it is signed by the President – protecting millions of people by making their workplaces safer,” said Gretchen Carlson, Co-founder of Lift Our Voices. “Every survivor deserves the right to tell their story, and once this change is enshrined in law, it will give those who experienced assault or harassment in the workplace the right to choose how they seek justice. It will also prevent assault and harassment in the first place, making it known to any would-be predator that their abuse can subject them to litigation and that survivors will have the right to speak out. I am grateful to all who supported this legislation, those who joined as co-sponsors, and especially to the bill’s original lead sponsor, Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, and initial co-sponsors Senators Lindsey Graham and Dick Durbin. Thanks to their support, America’s workplaces will be far safer environments for all.”

“I am thrilled to announce that the historic Ending Forced Arbitration of Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment Act has passed the Senate and is now headed to President Biden’s desk. This bill is one of the most significant workplace reforms in the last 50 years and is a major step forward toward changing a system that uses secrecy to protect perpetrators and silence survivors,” said Senator Gillibrand. “The Ending Forced Arbitration of Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment Act will void existing forced arbitration agreements for sexual harassment and sexual assault and end their use. It will give survivors their day in court, allow them to discuss their cases publicly and end the days of institutional protection for harassers.”

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.