Landmark #MeToo Bill: Is It Enough?

On February 10th, Congress approved new legislation guaranteeing people who experience sexual harassment in the workplace the right to seek recourse through the courts. More specifically, this bill bans employment contracts from forcing people to settle sexual assault or harassment complaints through the process of arbitration rather than in court. The arbitration process almost always benefits the employer and prevents any misconduct allegations from being publicized. This measure, which is expected to be signed into law by President Biden, is a huge milestone for the #MeToo movement.

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand from New York said, “No longer will survivors of sexual assault or harassment in the workplace come forward and be told that they are legally forbidden to sue their employer because somewhere buried in their employment contracts was this forced arbitration clause.” The bill also nullifies the language in contracts already signed and allows those who had been bound by it to seek justice.

While this bill is a step in the right direction, it fails to acknowledge the fact that the court system still rarely sides with survivors. So, let’s take the time to celebrate this milestone but not forget that there is still work to be done.