Arbitrate or litigate? Like everything else in the law, it depends…

Whether a claim for overtime should be arbitrated rather than fought out in court depends on whether the claim necessitates examination and interpretation of the labor contract. Under well-established legal principles, workers have an independent right to sue in court, rather than arbitrate, but if the employer successfully argues that contract interpretation is required, the lawsuit is preempted by labor law and arbitration ensues.

Indeed, I believe most employers that I deal with would rather be in arbitration than a full-blown FLSA litigation involving claims for overtime, but in a case entitled Independent Laboratory Employees’ Union Inc. v. ExxonMobil Research & Engineering Co., the Company argued that arbitration was inappropriate. A New Jersey District Court judge disagreed, holding that the grievances seeking compensation for travel time to/from job-related conferences did fall under the aegis of the parties’ labor contract.

The judge stated that “the question presented by the ILEU is whether travel time is included in those circumstances. This is an issue that requires interpretation of the CBA, and particularly in light of the broad language of the arbitration clause, is a matter which falls within the zone of interests receiving protection under the CBA.” The company defended by asserting there was no explicit reference to travel time in the labor contract and thus there was no obligation to arbitrate; the Union then moved to compel arbitration.

The Takeaway

I am somewhat surprised. I have been faced with this situation a few times and I have been the one, on behalf of a client, to argue that arbitration was required, rather than allowing a FLSA lawsuit (with its fee shifting component, doubling of damages and possible extra year of liability) to proceed. In arbitration, the Company, in addition to having the “usual” FLSA defenses (i.e. the travel time was not working time) will also have any contractual defenses it can muster.

To the Union—-Don’t wish for something because you just may get it!