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Tell Congress Jamie Leigh Jones' Story - Click Here!
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Arbitration Updates
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Halliburton Uses BMA Clause in Cover Up
December 12, 3:30pm
Jamie Jones was a young employee of a Halliburton subsidiary called KBR when she became a victim of rape while working in Iraq. Now because her employment contract included a Binding Mandatory Arbitration clause, Halliburton is adding insult to injury by trying to keep her story out of a court room and prevent her from seeking justice.
“Jamie Leigh Jones, now 22, says that after she was raped by multiple men at a KBR camp in the Green Zone (of Iraq), the company put her under guard in a shipping container with a bed and warned her that if she left Iraq for medical treatment, she'd be out of a job.” – ABC News, 20/20
Read The Whole Story Here
What is just as appalling is that Jamie will never have an opportunity to hold her rapists or her employers accountable in a court of law. Her employment contract, like millions of other Americans, includes a Binding Mandatory Arbitration clause. So instead of having her day in court, she’ll be forced into a privatized justice system with no public record.
“Since no criminal charges have been filed, the only other option, according to Hutson, is the civil system, which is the approach that Jones is trying now. But Jones' former employer doesn't want this case to see the inside of a civil courtroom. KBR has moved for Jones' claim to be heard in private arbitration, instead of a public courtroom. It says her employment contract requires it.”
– ABC News, 20/20
Tell Congress Jamie Leigh Jones' Story - Click Here!
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Comcast Attempts to Take Away Your Rights
August 7, 3:00pm
In July, Comcast, which provides cable service to 24 million homes nationwide, informed its customers of a change in the subscriber agreement that would take away their seventh amendment rights to a trial by jury.
Without receiving the consent of the consumer, Comcast has changed their agreement to include a mandatory binding arbitration clause that means if a dispute arises then the customer is forced to go into a privatized system known as arbitration.
Get The Facts About Arbitration
Comcast has sent out an Arbitration Notice to inform their customers of the change and the customer has 30 days to opt out. If you do not opt out of the agreement then you lose your right to sue Comcast, even though they retain their right to sue you.
Do not let Comcast take away your rights!
Customers can opt out online by going to: https://www.comcast.com/ARBITRATIONOPTOUT/default.ashx
Customer are also able to opt out by mail if they include their name, address, account number and a statement explaining that they do not want to resolve disputes with Comcast through arbitration.
Protect yourself against arbitration:
Send a Letter To Congress Now!
Feingold, Johnson Introduce The Arbitration Fairness Act of 2007!
July 13, 10:30am
In a packed room in the Capitol, members of the Give Me Back My Rights Coalition joined Senator Russ Feingold (D, WI) and Representative Hank Johnson (D, GA) as they introduced the Arbitration Fairness Act of 2007. The comprehensive legislation amends the Federal Arbitration Act to ensure Americans are not forced into mandatory arbitration agreements in employment, consumer, franchise or civil disputes.
Arbitration victims gathered in the background as Senator Feingold expressed his passion for the cause that began almost ten years ago. Sally Greenberg of Consumers Union discussed the hypocrisy of the car dealer industry for fighting and securing a ban on unfair binding arbitration clauses in their agreements with car manufacturers five years ago, yet they still include these same agreements with their customers. Next, Joan Claybrook, President of Public Citizen, attested to the unfairness of arbitration and expressed concern for the rights of consumers.
Jordan Fogal told her moving story of being denied access to the courts when her home accrued up to $150,000 worth of repairs. After four years of anguish in two rounds of arbitration, the arbitrator ruled that the builder had committed fraud and awarded Jordan $26,000. However; the arbitration procedure alone cost her $30,000. For too long, corporations have hidden behind arbitration agreements to evade responsibility for negligent actions and abusive practices.
The Arbitration Fairness Act of 2007 will ensure that Americans’ seventh amendment rights to a trial by jury are no longer curtailed. As Jordan Fogal poignantly concluded, “If arbitration is so wonderful…then why is it mandatory?” Americans deserve better.
More Info and Audio From the Press Conference
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Arbitration Links
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