Court Blocks Florida Ban on College Professor Arbitration (1)

Florida can’t bar arbitration procedures for unionized college professors because such a legal ban violates a federal law protecting arbitration from state interference, a federal court ruled Friday.

A Gov. Ron DeSantis (R)-backed ban on university faculty grievance and tenure processes violates the Federal Arbitration Act because limiting arbitration contracts for public professors is preempted by the national law, US District Court for the Northern District of Florida Judge Mark E. Walker ruled.

Because Florida’s law “provides that personnel actions or decisions regarding faculty, including in the areas of evaluations, promotions, tenure, discipline, or termination” aren’t subject to arbitration, ...