Appeals Court Rules Companies Cannot Impose Illegal Arbitration Agreements On Workers

June 1, 2016 
By Doug Cunningham
Workers Independent News

Chicago, IL – In a major victory for American workers, the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals in Chicago ruled Thursday evening that healthcare software company Epic Systems in Verona, Wisconsin could not require mandatory arbitration agreements where employees are forced to waive their rights to collective and class actions.

The court says such agreements violate Section 7 of the National Labor Relations Act, which sets out employee rights on the job.  Kaitlyn Madden is one of the lawyers who brought the Epic Systems case to the 7th circuit:

[Kaitlyn Madden]: “one of those rights is the right to join with other employees to discuss with their employer issues of their compensation and their conditions of employment.  Arbitration agreements that require employees to bring any claims they have individually, prevents employees from joining together.  The history of the National Labor Relations Act makes clear that it’s very important to provide individual workers with a counterbalance to the power of the employer.  Allowing employees to join together is an important way to do that.”  To hear the audio click the following link