The EFAA Can Be a Powerful Tool to Avoid Arbitration

April 20, 2023  |  The New York Law Journal

The Ending Forced Arbitration of Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment Act of 2021 (EFAA) amends the Federal Arbitration Act to allow a plaintiff alleging a sexual harassment claim to avoid an otherwise valid arbitration agreement. Southern District Judge Paul A. Engelmayer recently addressed two issues of first impression involving the EFAA: whether a plaintiff seeking to avoid arbitration must plead a cognizable sexual harassment claim that survives a motion to dismiss under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 12(b)(6); and whether the EFAA prohibits arbitration of only the sexual harassment claim or the entire case.

The EFAA Can Be a Powerful Tool to Avoid Arbitration (pdf | 124.53 KB)