Consumerist
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victories
Senate Protects Employee Rights With Forced Arbitration Ban
Yesterday, the Senate adopted an amendment that will prevent federal funding from going to any contractor that requires its employees to use mandatory binding arbitration, instead of court, for sexual assault and civil rights claims against the company. More » -
forced arbitration
No Arbitration For Halliburton Sexual Assault Case, Court Holds
A woman who was allegedly raped while working for Halliburton/Kellogg Brown & Root in Iraq will have her civil claims heard in court, not by a company-selected arbitrator, thanks to a ruling by the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals. More » -
mandatory binding arbitration
USAA: Opt-Out Of Mandatory Binding Arbitration By Closing Your Account
The "credit union on steroids" has gone to mandatory binding arbitration for all disputes, removing customers' ability to successfully sue them if things go wrong. Previously, USAA had arbitration as an option, but allowed members to opt out. Now, if you want to opt out of arbitration, you'll have to close your accounts. More » -
victories
Credit Card Arbitration Cabal Implodes
The arbitration rollback continues apace! Last Thursday, JPMorgan Chase announced it won't send disputes to arbitration and is rethinking putting the clauses in its consumer contracts. Coming on the heels of news that NAF and AAA will stop arbitrating consumer credit card disputes, Creditcards.com wrote, "Two more supporting beams have crumbled and now, with astonishing speed, the entire edifice of the mandatory credit card arbitration system is collapsing."
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forced arbitration
Another Arbitration Firm Pulls Out Of Credit Card Arbitration
Just days after the National Arbitration Forum agreed to stop arbitrating consumer credit card disputes, the American Arbitration Association has decided to do the same. This is good, but passage of the Arbitration Fairness Act is still necessary. More » -
lawsuits
Minnesota Attorney General Punches National Arbitration Forum In The Face
Minnesota has filed a lawsuit against the National Arbitration Forum, alleging fraud, false advertising, and deceptive trade practices. More » -
forced arbitration
Arbitration Fairness Act On "All Things Considered"
The perils of forced arbitration and the need for the Arbitration Fairness Act were recently featured on an NPR piece. The story discusses the case of Jamie Leigh Jones, the former Halliburton employee who was gang raped in Iraq by her coworkers, then was sent to arbitration when she tried to sue her employer. More » -
The House Subcommittee on Commercial and Administrative Law is currently holding a hearing on forced arbitration and credit cards, appropriately titled "Federal Arbitration Act: Is the Credit Card Industry Using It To Quash Legal Claims?" Our friends at Public Citizen will be testifying. You can view (or at least listen to) the Real Player stream here.
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employment discrimination
Forced Arbitration: You Can't Sue Us For Discrimination
Besides banning forced arbitration in consumer and franchise contracts, the Arbitration Fairness Act bans mandatory binding arbitration clauses in employment contracts. John's story illustrates why this is necessary, inside. More » -
arbitration
"We Build In Middle Class Neighborhoods Because You Can't Afford To Fight Us"
Meet Michelle. We met Michelle at Arbitration Fairness Day and she told us about being forced into arbitration when she tried to get her poorly constructed home repaired. Now she'd like to share her story with you. More » -
arbitration
Forced Arbitration: You Lose, Now Pay For Our Lunch
Mandatory binding arbitration, which corporations use to dodge accountability for their discrimination, negligence, or harassment, is a caricature of justice that offers no protection to consumers or employees. It's also terrible for small business owners, as one couple found out. More » -
mandatory binding arbitration
Forced Arbitration: As Fair As A Sucker Punch
We at Consumerist really hate mandatory binding arbitration, the faux-legal sucker punch that companies deliver when they screw up and you try to sue, and so should you. We've talked about its evils a lot, but no one can describe this legal abomination as well as the victims themselves, so this week we'll let them speak. More » -
arbitration
Mandatory Binding Arbitration Isn't Just Bad For Consumers, It's Bad For Small Businesses
Mother Jones has an excellent writeup of Deborah Williams and Richard Welshans, the Maryland couple whose horrific experience with franchising a Coffee Beanery we've covered before. Inside, MoJo breaks down the arbitration award to show just how much more expensive arbitration is than litigation. More » -
arbitration fairness act
The Arbitration Fairness Act Is In The House
The Arbitration Fairness Act, which will ban binding mandatory arbitration clauses from consumer, employment, and franchise contracts, was reintroduced in the House yesterday. More » -
your rights
Mandatory Binding Arbitration: The Worst Choose Your Own Adventure Ever
Mandatory binding arbitration agreements are bad for consumers for so many reasons that, unless you're the victim of one, it's hard to keep track of the various ways you can be screwed. So we've come up with this helpful illustration: a choose-your-own-adventure-styled trip through the arbitration process. More »
4:49 PM on Tue Feb 10 2009
By Alex Chasick
68,498 views, 76 commentsMost discussed Tiki McTikatron: So if you are handed a paper contract (say from a daycare center) and see this clause, are you more »
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arbitration
Powerful People Want To Hear Your Arbitration Horror Stories
If you've been screwed by arbitration, our consumer and public interest friends in DC would like to hear your story for something special they're cooking up. Arbitration agreements are clauses inside many contracts between companies and yourself that, in the event of a dispute, prohibit you from suing the company in a court of law. Instead, you have to take your case to a special arbitration firm. Arbitration bills itself as a speedy and fair way to resolve legal disputes, but it's come under heavy fire recently for being heavily weighted in favor of companies. If you've gotten the short end of the stick, send your story to arbitration.stories@gmail.com.
(Photo: Getty)
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lawsuits
AT&T's Arbitration Clause Strips Consumers Of Their Rights
We just love the word unconscionable. You know who doesn't love it? AT&T. Their mandatory binding arbitration clause was ruled unconscionable by the state Supreme Court of Washington, after AT&T tried to prevent a consumer who believed he was being systematically overcharged from filing a class action lawsuit. More » -
att
Washington Upholds ATT Customer's Right To Class Action
In another step towards the impending demise of mandatory binding arbitration, a customer's right to file a class-action lawsuit against AT&T Wireless was upheld by Washington Supreme Court yesterday. More »
mandatory binding arbitration
New York, 5:12 AM
Sun Nov 8
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