One of the most significant risks to business in recent years has been the proliferation of class action employment-related lawsuits. Class action claims have been especially popular with plaintiff’s lawyers pursuing federal Fair Labor Standards Act wage claims. A class action lawsuit can mean huge costs for defense and damages. Some employers have attempted to manage the risk by having employees sign agreements requiring that they pursue employment law claims against the company in arbitration, rather than in court. Sometimes employers include in the arbitration agreement a specific waiver of the right to pursue class action claims in court or in arbitration.
Continue Reading Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals Knocks Down NLRB Decision: And, in Doing So, Supports Employer Effort to Avoid Class Action Claims
Supreme Court’s AT&T Mobility Decision Provides Support For Use Of Employment Arbitration Agreements With Class Action Waivers
By Porter Wright on
On April 27, 2011, the United States Supreme Court held that the Federal Arbitration Act (“FAA”) preempted California state contract law which courts had applied to invalidate arbitration agreements that did not permit class arbitration. Although the decision involved a consumer contract, the Supreme Court’s reasoning provides a basis for employers to seek enforcement of employment agreements that prohibit workplace class actions and require the individual arbitration of employment-related claims.Continue Reading Supreme Court’s AT&T Mobility Decision Provides Support For Use Of Employment Arbitration Agreements With Class Action Waivers