B&F Founding Partner Amanda Farahany Endorses the Equal Remedies Act

Barrett & Farahany Founding Partner Amanda Farahany has joined a coalition of employment rights advocates and organizations supporting the newly introduced Equal Remedies Act, legislation designed to ensure workers who experience discrimination receive the full compensation awarded by a jury.

What is the Equal Remedies Act?

The bill was introduced by Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici, House Education and Workforce Committee Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott, and Senator Edward J. Markey. If enacted, the legislation would eliminate federal caps on damages in employment discrimination cases and expand available remedies for workers pursuing age discrimination claims.

Current Federal Limits on Damages for Workplace Discrimination

Current federal law limits the amount of damages that may be recovered in many workplace discrimination cases. Currently, the severity of the harm suffered can often be improperly recognized in the damages victims receive. 

Those caps were established in 1991 and have not been adjusted to account for inflation. Supporters of the Equal Remedies Act argue that these limitations can prevent workers from receiving the full compensation determined by a jury and may reduce accountability for employers found liable for discrimination.

Amanda Farahany on Workers’ Protections & the Equal Rights Remedies Act

As part of the legislation’s announcement, Farahany voiced her support for the proposed reforms.

“When Congress capped damages in 1991, it told juries their verdicts didn’t count,” said Amanda Farahany, Founding Partner of Barrett & Farahany. “The Equal Remedies Act finally fixes that. Workers who prove discrimination deserve the full measure of justice a jury says they’re owed — not a number picked by politicians three decades ago.”

Farahany’s endorsement reflects Barrett & Farahany’s longstanding commitment to protecting employee rights and advocating for meaningful remedies when workers experience unlawful treatment in the workplace. The firm has represented employees in discrimination, retaliation, harassment, wrongful termination, wage and hour, and other employment law matters for more than two decades.

Support Outside of Barrett & Farahany

The Equal Remedies Act has also received support from numerous worker advocacy organizations, including: 

• National Employment Lawyers Association 
• National Employment Law Project 
• Equal Rights Advocates 
• Lift Our Voices
• American Association for Justice

Proponents of the legislation argue that workers who successfully prove discrimination should be entitled to recover the full amount awarded by a jury rather than having those awards reduced by statutory limits that do not reflect the actual harm suffered.

What Barrett & Farahany Will Do Now

As Congress considers the Equal Remedies Act, Barrett & Farahany will continue to support efforts that strengthen workplace protections and promote accountability for unlawful discrimination.

To learn more about the Equal Remedies Act, readers can review the official congressional announcement and legislative materials here.