Kyle Stone's blog

Forced arbitration clauses – which are buried in the fine print of credit card terms, employee handbooks, health insurance plans, nursing home admissions forms and many other contracts – eliminate consumers’ and employees’ access to the courts and require that they submit their disputes to a private legal system that favors corporations. Forced arbitration clauses enable big business to undermine consumer protections, circumvent civil rights laws, bypass product safety and escape accountability for wrongdoing.

Below are stories about individuals and small businesses that suffered severe hardship due to forced arbitration.

Wide support exists across party lines for Arbitration Fairness Act; consumers, employees from around U.S. lobby lawmakers today

Washington, DC – Americans widely oppose corporations using mandatory binding arbitration clauses in the fine print of consumer and employment contracts, according to national polling of likely voters conducted by Lake Research Partners.

Forced arbitration clauses are hidden in the fine print of everything from cell phone, home, credit card and retirement account terms of agreement to employment and nursing home contracts. Just by taking a job or buying a product or service, consumers and employees are forced to give up their right to take their case to court if they are harmed by a corporation.

Findings from a recent national survey of likely voters show a commanding majority of Americans opposes the practice of forced arbitration - otherwise known as binding mandatory arbitration. Opposition to forced arbitration is broad and intense, translating into a groundswell of support for reform. Roughly six-in-ten support federal legislation - the Arbitration Fairness Act - which would prohibit forced arbitration in Terms of Employment and Terms of Agreement for goods and services.