[CIVIL.REG.,082497,0800]
Mediation
(Iowa Civil Rights Commission; 08/24/97; 0800)
SETTLEMENTS IN DISCRIMINATION CASES TOTAL $1.85 MILLION
For the third year in a row, the Iowa Civil Rights Commission recorded
more than one million dollars in annualized benefits. Annualized benefits
represents the cash value of settlement agreements to persons who file discrimination
complaints. During fiscal year 1997, the Commission facilitated voluntary
settlement in 193 cases and recorded $1,854,000 in benefits, for an average
settlement amount of $9,606.
Fiscal Year Benefits # of Settlements Average
1992 $282,000 146 $1,932
1993 $430,000 127 $3,386 1994 $634,000 201 $3,154
1995 $1,378,000 233 $5,914
1996 $1,825,000 291 $6,271
1997 $1,854,000 193 $9,606
Thanks to the hard work of Iowa's twenty-two local human rights commissions
and more than seventy volunteer attorneys and mediators, the Commission
is able to offer the parties to a civil rights complaint an effective, alternative
dispute resolution process called mediation.
Civil Rights Mediators work to resolve discrimination disputes amicably,
through a voluntary, no-fault settlement process called mediation. Most
of the mediators working for the Commission are volunteers. Many are attorneys.
All have donated their time to help the Iowa Civil Rights Commission and
the people of Iowa fight discrimination.
Emphasizing mediation, with the help of so many trained and dedicated
local commission staff and volunteers, has contributed to a major reduction
in the backlog of cases. Five years ago, the Commission had more than 600
cases waiting to be assigned to investigators. Today, that number is fewer
than 50.
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(Contact: Don Grove 515-281-8084)
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