Ending Forced Arbitration of Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment Act of 2021

To amend title 9 of the United States Code with respect to arbitration of disputes involving sexual assault and sexual harassment. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Ending Forced Arbitration of Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment Act of 2021 2. Predispute arbitration of disputes involving sexual assault and sexual harassment (a) In general Title 9 of the United States Code is amended by adding at the end the following: 4 Arbitration of disputes involving sexual assault and sexual harassment Sec. 401. Definitions. 402. No validity or enforceability. 401. Definitions In this chapter: (1) Predispute arbitration agreement The term predispute arbitration agreement (2) Predispute joint-action waiver The term predispute joint-action waiver (3) Sexual assault dispute The term sexual assault dispute (4) Sexual harassment dispute The term sexual harassment dispute (A) Unwelcome sexual advances. (B) Unwanted physical contact that is sexual in nature, including assault. (C) Unwanted sexual attention, including unwanted sexual comments and propositions for sexual activity. (D) Conditioning professional, educational, consumer, health care or long-term care benefits on sexual activity. (E) Retaliation for rejecting unwanted sexual attention. 402. No validity or enforceability (a) In general Except as provided in subsection (c), and notwithstanding any other provision of this title, no predispute arbitration agreement or predispute joint-action waiver shall be valid or enforceable with respect to a case which is filed under Federal, Tribal, or State law and relates to a sexual assault dispute or a sexual harassment dispute. (b) Determination of applicability An issue as to whether this chapter applies with respect to a dispute shall be determined under Federal law. The applicability of this chapter to an agreement to arbitrate and the validity and enforceability of an agreement to which this chapter applies shall be determined by a court, rather than an arbitrator, irrespective of whether the party resisting arbitration challenges the arbitration agreement specifically or in conjunction with other terms of the contract containing such agreement, and irrespective of whether the agreement purports to delegate such determinations to an arbitrator. (c) Exception for collective bargaining agreements Nothing in this chapter shall apply to any arbitration provision in a contract between an employer and a labor organization or between labor organizations, except that no such arbitration provision shall have the effect of waiving the right of an employee to seek judicial enforcement of a right arising under provision of the Constitution of the United States, a State constitution, or a Federal or State statute, or public policy arising therefrom. . (b) Technical and conforming amendments (1) In general Title 9 of the United States Code is amended— (A) in section 2, by inserting or as otherwise provided in chapter 4 (B) in section 208— (i) in the section heading, by striking Chapter 1; residual application Application (ii) by adding at the end the following: This chapter applies to the extent that this chapter is not in conflict with chapter 4. (C) in section 307— (i) in the section heading, by striking Chapter 1; residual application Application (ii) by adding at the end the following: This chapter applies to the extent that this chapter is not in conflict with chapter 4. (2) Table of sections (A) Chapter 2 The table of sections for chapter 2 208. Application. . (B) Chapter 3 The table of sections for chapter 3 307. Application. . (3) Table of chapters The table of chapters for title 9, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following: 4. Arbitration of disputes involving sexual assault and sexual harassment 401 . 3. Applicability This Act, and the amendments made by this Act, shall apply with respect to any dispute or claim that arises or accrues on or after the date of enactment of this Act. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Ending Forced Arbitration of Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment Act of 2021 2. Predispute arbitration of disputes involving sexual assault and sexual harassment (a) In general Title 9 of the United States Code is amended by adding at the end the following: 4 Arbitration of disputes involving sexual assault and sexual harassment Sec. 401. Definitions. 402. No validity or enforceability. 401. Definitions In this chapter: (1) Predispute arbitration agreement The term predispute arbitration agreement (2) Predispute joint-action waiver The term predispute joint-action waiver (3) Sexual assault dispute The term sexual assault dispute (4) Sexual harassment dispute The term sexual harassment dispute (A) Unwelcome sexual advances. (B) Unwanted physical contact that is sexual in nature, including assault. (C) Unwanted sexual attention, including unwanted sexual comments and propositions for sexual activity. (D) Conditioning professional, educational, consumer, health care, or long-term care benefits on sexual activity. (E) Retaliation for rejecting unwanted sexual attention. 402. No validity or enforceability (a) In general Notwithstanding any other provision of this title, at the election of the person alleging conduct constituting a sexual assault dispute or sexual harassment dispute, or the named representative of a class or in a collective action alleging such conduct, no predispute arbitration agreement or predispute joint-action waiver shall be valid or enforceable with respect to a case which is filed under Federal, Tribal, or State law and relates to the sexual assault dispute or the sexual harassment dispute. (b) Determination of applicability An issue as to whether this chapter applies with respect to a dispute shall be determined under Federal law. The applicability of this chapter to an agreement to arbitrate and the validity and enforceability of an agreement to which this chapter applies shall be determined by a court, rather than an arbitrator, irrespective of whether the party resisting arbitration challenges the arbitration agreement specifically or in conjunction with other terms of the contract containing such agreement, and irrespective of whether the agreement purports to delegate such determinations to an arbitrator. . (b) Technical and conforming amendments (1) In general Title 9 of the United States Code is amended— (A) in section 2, by inserting or as otherwise provided in chapter 4 (B) in section 208— (i) in the section heading, by striking Chapter 1; residual application Application (ii) by adding at the end the following: This chapter applies to the extent that this chapter is not in conflict with chapter 4. (C) in section 307— (i) in the section heading, by striking Chapter 1; residual application Application (ii) by adding at the end the following: This chapter applies to the extent that this chapter is not in conflict with chapter 4. (2) Table of sections (A) Chapter 2 The table of sections for chapter 2 208. Application. . (B) Chapter 3 The table of sections for chapter 3 307. Application. . (3) Table of chapters The table of chapters for title 9, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following: 4. Arbitration of disputes involving sexual assault and sexual harassment 401 . 3. Applicability This Act, and the amendments made by this Act, shall apply with respect to any dispute or claim that arises or accrues on or after the date of enactment of this Act. November 17, 2021 Reported with an amendment

Summary: Ending Forced Arbitration of Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment Act of 2021 This bill invalidates arbitration agreements that preclude a party from filing a lawsuit in court involving sexual assault or sexual harassment, at the election of the party alleging such conduct.