California Private AG Labor Law Avoids 9th Cir. Arbitration Look

The question of whether California employees can be forced to arbitrate wage-related lawsuits filed on behalf of the state won’t be considered en banc by the Ninth Circuit, after it declined to review a panel ruling against Coverall North America Inc.

Coverall cleaner Carlos Rivas sued the company in 2018, alleging a single cause of action under the Private Attorneys General Act, which gives individuals the right to sue to enforce state law. Coverall misclassified employees as independent contractors and failed to reimburse them for the cleaning supplies they use in the course of their jobs, among other things, Rivas ...