In some instances, you may be able to sue if you signed a valid arbitration agreement. While courts generally favor arbitration agreements, they will allow you to file a lawsuit if either you didn't understand your rights or your claims fall outside the arbitration provision's scope.
To further complicate matters, new laws set to take effect in 2025 will reshape arbitration in California. SB 365 will allow cases to proceed through the trial process even where a party appeals an order denying a petition to compel arbitration.
California law permits employers not to hire you if you refuse to sign an arbitration agreement. An arbitration agreement is where you waive your right to sue in the event of a dispute.
Under California law, an employer can require its employees to agree to arbitration as a term of employment. However, if the agreement has too many unfair or biased conditions, courts may refuse to enforce the arbitration agreement or chop off the unfair terms.
California Employment Contract Requirements The state considers all employment relationships to involve a contract, even a verbal one. An employment agreement should cover the basics of the arrangement between both parties, and it cannot force the employee to break any laws or accept illegal working conditions.
Top 10 tips for drafting arbitration agreements Introduction. Scope of the arbitration agreement. Seat of the arbitration. Governing law of the arbitration agreement. Choice of rules. Language. Number and appointment of arbitrators. Specifying arbitrator characteristics.
To give you an idea of the process that arbitration typically involves, the American Arbitration Association describes artibtration as having five main steps: Filing and initiation. Arbitrator selection. Preliminary hearing. Information exchange and preparation. Hearings. Post hearing submissions. Award.
Outline a concise factual background and then move on to a discussion of the issues at the heart of the case. Your arguments should flow easily from the relevant facts and applicable law. And, by all means, avoid exaggeration of the strengths of your case as well as disparagement of the opposing side.
Include Arbitrator's Jurisdiction Clause. Define Arbitration Scope Precisely. Specify Confidentiality Rules Clearly. Determine Applicable Law and Jurisdiction. Specify Arbitrator Selection Process. Set Clear Arbitration Timelines.
An employee who signs an arbitration agreement promises to pursue any legal claims against the employer through arbitration, rather than through a lawsuit. It might not sound like a big deal when you're just starting a new job and don't see any legal disputes on the horizon.