Planet Fitness Pandemic-Billing Lawsuit Sent to Arbitration

A proposed class action against Planet Fitness Inc. for allegedly charging membership fees while its gyms were closed because of the pandemic must proceed only in arbitration, not a courtroom, a federal district court in Illinois decided.

Other gyms, including the Washington Sports Club, have faced similar litigation.

Here, Jason Williams of Illinois and Gunnar Amos of Idaho allege Planet Fitness violated state laws by charging membership fees from mid-March through mid-April 2020 after the gyms had shut down because of Covid-19. But an arbitration clause in the members’ agreements covers all of Williams’ claims, leading the U.S. District Court ...