Mass or “large scale” arbitration campaigns
Mass or large scale arbitration campaigns are occurring with four companies: Chipotle, Uber, Lyft, and Buffalo Wild Wings each were hit with thousands of arbitration requests.
Employees at Buffalo Wild Wings initiated arbitration over wage-and-hour disputes after being tossed from a collective. Workers at Uber and Lyft are seeking arbitration hearings over their classification as independent contractors. Chipotle claims involve unpaid overtime and related matters.
Buffalo Wild Wings has since settled with the claimants to avoid arbitration but the other three companies continue to fight the arbitration demands in court.
UBER, Chipotle, and Lyft cases are proceeding
At Uber Technologies Inc., e.g., approx. 12,000 drivers filed for arbitration beginning in August 2018, saying they were misclassified as independent contractors and should be employees. Similar arguments have often failed in court. But that doesn’t mean employees can’t arbitrate those claims. Contact us for more information and updates.
