Ending Forced Arbitration of Race Discrimination Act of 2025

This bill, currently under consideration by the House Judiciary Committee, would change how race discrimination disputes are handled in the United States. If enacted, it would make forced arbitration agreements unenforceable in cases involving race discrimination, harassment, or retaliation based on race, color, or national origin.

Under current law, many employers require workers to sign agreements that force them to resolve disputes through private arbitration rather than going to court. This bill would give workers the choice to take race discrimination claims to court instead. The bill would apply to disputes filed after it becomes law and would allow individuals to bring cases individually or as part of a class action lawsuit. Courts, rather than arbitrators, would decide whether disputes fall under the bill's protections.

Proponents argue this change would increase accountability and transparency, since court cases are public while arbitration proceedings are typically confidential. The bill follows similar legislation passed in 2022 that banned forced arbitration in cases involving sexual assault and harassment.