Tom from Mill Valley asks: I heard something on the news about a recent US Supreme Court case upholding arbitration clauses in employment cases. What are arbitration clauses and how do they affect employees?
How Are My Legal Rights Affected By Having To Sign An Arbitration Agreement For A New Job?
JJ writes: “Dear Mr. Dolan: I just started a new job and they made me sign an arbitration agreement. Is that okay- what does it mean?”
Dear J.J: As you have discovered, more and more often employers are requiring employees to sign arbitration agreements as part of an offer of employment. While the arbitration agreement is often mixed in with a stack of other new-hire paperwork, it is much more sinister than most of the other documents employees are asked to sign.