N.Y. Top Court Says Small-Claims Win May Bar Suits on Same Issue

A New York City driver who won $1,000 for unpaid wages in small-claims court might be barred from suing her employer in federal court, if the claims are based on the same underlying issues, the New York Court of Appeals said Thursday.

Charlene Simmons sued Trans Express Co. Inc. for unpaid wages in August 2018 in Queens Small Claims Court, before bringing claims against the company under the Fair Labor Standards Act and state law for overtime violations in federal court. The U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York dismissed the case, finding that Simmons’ federal suit ...