The Leadership Conference is working diligently to see that Tom Perez is confirmed as U.S. Secretary of Labor. Perez is an eminently qualified public servant and consensus builder who has dedicated his career to ensuring that all individuals are treated fairly and have the opportunity to succeed. He has served with integrity and distinction at the local, state and national level, compiling an outstanding record of achievement.
Press Release - The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights
Civil and Human Rights Coalition Applauds Introduction of Bill to Help Protect Workers from Discrimination
For Immediate Release
Contact: Scott Westbrook Simpson, 202.466.2061, simpson@civilrights.org
June 20, 2012
Washington, D.C. – Nancy Zirkin, executive vice president of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, issued the following statement on today’s introduction of the Equal Employment Opportunity Restoration Act, which would restore and strengthen the rights of workers’ who have been discriminated in employment decisions. The bill is a legislative remedy to last year’s split Supreme Court decision in Dukes v. Wal-Mart that made it harder for workers to join together in a lawsuit if there is a pattern of workplace discrimination:
“For the millions of Americans who don’t keep attorneys in their back-pocket, the Equal Employment Opportunity Restoration Act is one of the most important bills introduced during this Congress.
Our nation’s civil rights laws, such as the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, and the Family and Medical Leave Act, have formed the foundation for all Americans to be protected from employment discrimination.
But these laws are only as effective as the mechanisms in place to enforce them.
Last year’s sharply divided Supreme Court ruling in Dukes v. Wal-Mart removed one of the most important mechanisms available to vulnerable workers to defend their rights – the ability to join together in a class action against a discriminatory employer.
Filing a lawsuit against an employer on your own is difficult and exceedingly risky. Employers can easily retaliate against you, lawyers are prohibitively expensive, and it’s harder to collect evidence about patterns of discrimination without being a part of a class action.
The Equal Employment Opportunity Restoration Act would restore and strengthen these rights. The Leadership Conference strongly urges the House and Senate to quickly pass this bill.”
Nancy Zirkin is executive vice president of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, a coalition charged by its diverse membership of more than 200 national organizations to promote and protect the rights of all persons in the United States. The Leadership Conference works toward an America as good as its ideals. For more information on The Leadership Conference and its 200-plus member organizations, visit www.civilrights.org.
