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Welcome to the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law’s Newsroom. This page contains our press releases, news clips and blog posts.

We have subject matter experts on civil rights issues ready to handle inquiries from journalists on such issues as voting rights, criminal justice, economic justice, fair housing, educational opportunity, racial justice matters and more.

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Supreme Court in Epic Systems case: Employers can enforce arbitration agreements with workers

In a case involving Verona health software giant Epic Systems, a divided Supreme Court ruled Monday that businesses can prohibit their workers from banding together in disputes over pay and conditions in the workplace. “No American should be forced to sign away their right to invoke the meaningful protections afforded by our nation’s critical civil rights laws,” Kristen Clarke said.

Companies win big at U.S. top court on worker class-action curbs

The U.S. Supreme Court delivered a blow to the rights of workers on Monday by allowing companies to require them to sign away their ability to bring class-action claims against management, agreements already in place for about 25 million employees. Said Kristen Clarke, “Today’s decision will make it easier for employers to escape liability for widespread discrimination and harassment.”

Divided Supreme Court sides with businesses over workers

Kristen Clarke, president of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, said she fears the decision will have far-reaching effects. “Today’s decision will make it easier for employers to escape liability for widespread discrimination and harassment. No American should be forced to sign away their right to invoke the meaningful protections afforded by our nation’s critical civil rights laws.”

ICE Wants To Be Like IRS: Audit And Arrest Business Owners Who Employ Undocumented Immigrants

Experts worry that these raids could create a culture of fear that stop immigrants from finding legitimate jobs and hurt surrounding communities. “I’m most concerned about the impact on workers and people who are looking for jobs and looking for a way to feed their families,” Kristen Clarke, president and executive director of the National Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, told CityLab.

Distance, language can still pose challenge to Native American voting

[V]oting can still be a challenge for Native Americans, who may face language barriers, registration difficulties and a lack of access to polling places and government services that can ease the voting process. “It’s an issue that often gets overlooked,” Arusha Gordon, voting rights counsel for the Lawyers Committee said. “They (tribes) never get as many resources directed towards them.”

PNC CEO honored for promoting diversity and equal opportunity in the workplace

William Demchak, chairman, president and CEO of Pittsburgh-based PNC Financial Services Group Inc., will receive the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law’s 2018 A. Leon Higginbotham Corporate Leadership Award for exemplary corporate leadership in promoting diversity and equal opportunity in the workplace. “On behalf of PNC and its 53,000 employees, I am both proud and honored to receive the Higginbotham Award,” Demchak said in a prepared statement. “At PNC, our commitment to diversity and inclusion is one of the defining qualities of our corporate culture and of how we engage with our customers and communities.”

PNC CEO honored for promoting diversity and equal opportunity in the workplace

William Demchak, chairman, president and CEO of Pittsburgh-based PNC Financial Services Group Inc., will receive the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law’s 2018 A. Leon Higginbotham Corporate Leadership Award for exemplary corporate leadership in promoting diversity and equal opportunity in the workplace. “On behalf of PNC and its 53,000 employees, I am both proud and honored to receive the Higginbotham Award,” Demchak said in a prepared statement. “At PNC, our commitment to diversity and inclusion is one of the defining qualities of our corporate culture and of how we engage with our customers and communities.

Ben Carson and Housing Department sued for derailing housing segregation rule

“The 2015 Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing rule (AFFH) is a critical part of ongoing work to address structural racism and inequality today. Through this lawsuit, we are taking action to hold HUD accountable and ensure that HUD fulfills its mission of addressing ongoing racial segregation and housing discrimination which persist across the country today,” said Kristen Clarke. The complaint, filed on behalf of The National Fair Housing Alliance (NFHA), Texas Appleseed, and Texas Low Income Housing Information Service, alleges that HUD unlawfully suspended the Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing Rule of 2015, a key provision of the Fair Housing Act passed in 1968, effectively removing civil rights oversight of as much as $5.5 billion per year until 2024 or later for almost 1,000 jurisdictions.

Housing Advocates Sue HUD Over Fair Housing Rule Suspension

The complaint also argues that HUD is violating its own duty under the Fair Housing Act to affirmatively further fair housing. Thomas Silverstein, co-counsel on the suit and part of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, said that multiple court decisions shortly after the Fair Housing Act was passed held that affirmatively furthering fair housing “is not an optional feature in the FHA, it’s a clear duty placed on HUD and its grantees.”

Texas groups join in lawsuit targeting Trump housing practices

“The 2015 (rule) is a critical part of ongoing work to address structural racism and inequality today,” said Kristen Clarke, executive director of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, whose firm is involved in the suit. “Through this lawsuit, we are taking action to hold HUD accountable and ensure that HUD fulfills its mission of addressing ongoing racial segregation and housing discrimination which persist across the country today.”