NEW YORK — The U.S. House has passed legislation barring contracts that force people to settle sexual assault or harassment cases through arbitration rather than in court, a process that often benefits employers and keeps misconduct allegations from becoming public.
The measure passed on a 335-97 House vote.
It’s a rare bipartisan agreement in Congress that stems from the #MeToo movement that prompted a national reckoning on the way sexual misconduct claims are handled in the U.S.
The Senate is expected to vote on and approve the bill within the next couple weeks, sending it to President Joe Biden, who is expected to sign it.