• Advertise
  • Donate
  • Subscribe
    • Become a print subscriber
    • Sign up for e-Newsletter
    • e-Editions
Saturday, March 25, 2023
No Result
View All Result
Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder
  • News & Features
    • National
    • Local
  • All Sections
    • Opinion
      • Mellaneous by Mel Reeves
      • Word on the Street
      • Reaching Out From Within
    • Health + Wellness
      • Minnesota Cancer Alliance Breast Cancer Gaps Project
    • Sports
      • Timberwolves/NBA
      • Lynx/WNBA
        • 20 in 20
      • Twins/MLB
      • MN Wild/NHL
      • Vikings/NFL
    • Business
      • Black Business Spotlight
      • Finances FYI
    • Arts + Culture
    • Photo Galleries
    • MSR Forefront Digital Roundtable Series
      • MSR Forefront Highlights
    • Go Green
    • Education
    • Bulletin
    • Jobs & Opportunities
      • Legals
  • Events
    • Submit an event!
  • Obits
  • Sister Spokesman
  • e-Editions
Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder
  • News & Features
    • National
    • Local
  • All Sections
    • Opinion
      • Mellaneous by Mel Reeves
      • Word on the Street
      • Reaching Out From Within
    • Health + Wellness
      • Minnesota Cancer Alliance Breast Cancer Gaps Project
    • Sports
      • Timberwolves/NBA
      • Lynx/WNBA
        • 20 in 20
      • Twins/MLB
      • MN Wild/NHL
      • Vikings/NFL
    • Business
      • Black Business Spotlight
      • Finances FYI
    • Arts + Culture
    • Photo Galleries
    • MSR Forefront Digital Roundtable Series
      • MSR Forefront Highlights
    • Go Green
    • Education
    • Bulletin
    • Jobs & Opportunities
      • Legals
  • Events
    • Submit an event!
  • Obits
  • Sister Spokesman
  • e-Editions
No Result
View All Result
Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder
No Result
View All Result

Flores resists NFL’s forced arbitration threat

by Charles Hallman
March 22, 2022
38
SHARES
751
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on LinkedIn
Courtesy of Twitter Brian Flores

Brian Flores’ suit against the NFL for its racist employment practices is still active, but the league might try a legal trick to avoid going to court.

During a March 14 media call held by the American Association for Justice, the former Miami Dolphins head coach and now Pittsburgh assistant coach told reporters, including the MSR, that the Dolphins “have actively sought to force my case…into arbitration. My case will be litigated behind closed doors confidentially, without transparency, essentially done in secrecy,” he pointed out.

This legal move the NFL team is considering is called “forced arbitration.”

Fair Arbitration Now points out that most Americans don’t know they are bound by forced arbitration because it is buried in the fine print of employment, cell phone, credit card, and other contracts. Individuals as a result are forced to give up their right to go to court if wronged by a company. It helps the business evade accountability because there is no judge or jury and no right to appeal.

Flores admitted he just learned about forced arbitration after filing his class-action suit in January shortly after he was fired by Miami. It’s bigger than pro football—it “really crosses all industries,” he said. “There’s literally a system in place that uses forced arbitration, which essentially allows for discrimination to continue.” 

- ADVERTISEMENT -

The pro football coach, the national lawyers’ group, and others supported the Forced Arbitration Injustice Repeal (FAIR) Act that Congress last week passed 222-209. It would ban forced arbitration in all forms. A similar bill was passed by the U.S. House of Representatives in 2019 but got stalled by the then-Republican-led Senate.  

U.S. Congressmen Hakeem Jeffries and Hank Johnson, who were also on last week’s media call, both are hoping that the FAIR Act will get through the Senate, controlled this time around by Democrats, and reach President Joe Biden’s desk for signature. Biden earlier this month signed a bill into law that prohibits mandatory arbitration in sexual harassment claims.

“The American people are being hoodwinked…are being bamboozled, and the American people are being led astray by the malignant presence of forced arbitration,” said Rep. Jeffries.

Rep. Johnson added, “Arbitration is a business that was set up by businesses for businesses, and it is an alternative dispute resolution process. Nothing wrong with arbitration, but what we’re talking about here is forced arbitration. It’s wrong.”

When the MSR asked Coach Flores if he thought the NFL will indeed use forced arbitration as a stall tactic in his case, he responded, “We’re prepared to go the distance here. I don’t know what the stall tactics will be, but we’re ready to go.”

- ADVERTISEMENT -

He added that NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell if he is for change as he often declares in public, should allow his case to go to court and be decided by a judge and jury. Flores said his case isn’t for himself but for those to follow. 

“I’m fortunate enough to be in a position where I can use my platform to bring awareness to the issue of race discrimination in the National Football League,” he said. “I don’t want my kids to watch football and think that they just have to be a player, that they can’t be a head coach, that they can’t be an executive, that they can’t be an owner.” 

ADVERTISEMENT
Previous Post

Jamal Crawford Retires After 20-Year NBA Career: What’s Next For Him?

Next Post

Here’s how to protect yourself from the most common scams  

Charles Hallman

Charles Hallman is a contributing reporter and award-winning sports columnist at the Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder.

You Might Also Like

It’s a first—two Black quarterbacks in the Super Bowl
Featured

It’s a first—two Black quarterbacks in the Super Bowl

What the sports media got right (and wrong) in covering Damar Hamlin’s injury
Sports

What the sports media got right (and wrong) in covering Damar Hamlin’s injury

Damar Hamlin’s cardiac arrest during ‘Monday Night Football’ could be commotio cordis—a heart doctor weighs in
Featured

Damar Hamlin’s cardiac arrest during ‘Monday Night Football’ could be commotio cordis—a heart doctor weighs in

Sanders criticized for doing what White coaches do all the time
Sports

Sanders criticized for doing what White coaches do all the time

Diverse hiring up at NFL League Office
Gophers/College

Diverse hiring up at NFL League Office

​The search for elusive Black fans continues
Sports

​The search for elusive Black fans continues

Next Post
Here’s how to protect yourself from the most common scams  

Here’s how to protect yourself from the most common scams  

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
ADVERTISEMENT

The Latest News

Women’s History Month Salute: Twila Dang

Women’s History Month Salute: Twila Dang

Women’s History Month Salute: Leslie Barlow

Women’s History Month Salute: Leslie Barlow

Northern lights shine bright across the Twin Cities and beyond

Northern lights shine bright across the Twin Cities and beyond

scales of justice

End Minnesota’s felony murder law

Disability Services Day at Capitol aims to strengthen direct care workforce

Disability Services Day at Capitol aims to strengthen direct care workforce

Senior Communications Associate, Writer at Fresh Energy

Minneapolis
◉
39°
Mostly Cloudy
7:06 am7:31 pm CDT
SunMonTueWedThu
39/19°F
41/18°F
34/19°F
37/23°F
46/36°F
Weather forecast Minneapolis, Minnesota ▸
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

Upcoming Events

Mar 23
March 23 @ 10:00 am-March 26 @ 5:00 pm

Twin Cities RV Super Sale at U.S. Bank Stadium returning March 23-26

Mar 25
9:00 am-3:00 pm

Remembering – A Black Writers’ Retreat

Mar 25
10:00 am-2:00 pm

Spotlight Science: Uncovering Ancient Climate

Mar 25
11:00 am-4:00 pm

Spring Equinox Psychic & Holistic Gathering

View Calendar

Read our latest e-Edition!

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

Subscribe

  • Home/Office Delivery
  • Weekly e-newsletter
  • e-Editions

Support

  • Donate
  • Subscribe
  • MSR Newsstand Locations

Connect

  • About
    • MSR Staff
  • Contact
  • Send a news tip
  • About
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms

© 2023 Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder

No Result
View All Result
  • News & Features
    • Local
    • National
  • All Sections
    • Arts & Culture
    • Health & Wellness
      • MN Cancer Alliance Breast Cancer Gaps Project
    • Business
      • Black Business Spotlight
      • Finances FYI
    • Opinion
    • Sports
  • Events
  • Obits
  • Sister Spokesman
  • Donate
  • Subscribe

© 2023 Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder

 

Loading Comments...