Truck Drivers or Bakery Workers: SCOTUS Will Decide

Two truck drivers, Neal Bissonnette and Tyler Wojnarowski, are challenging the enforceability of arbitration agreements they signed with their employer, Flowers Foods, in a Supreme Court case.

They claim Flowers withheld wages and violated overtime rules, but Flowers argues they must settle through arbitration as per the agreements.

The case hinges on whether the drivers qualify as "transportation workers" exempt from mandatory arbitration under the Federal Arbitration Act.

This act allows companies to force employees into arbitration, a private dispute resolution process, instead of going to court. However, it exempts certain workers, including "transportation workers," from this requirement.

Classification: Drivers or Bakery

Both lower courts sided with Flowers, finding the drivers weren't "transportation workers" because they distributed Flowers products, making them "bakery workers." Bissonnette and Wojnarowski argue they should be considered "transportation workers" as they delivered goods across state lines, citing conflicting court rulings and a recent Supreme Court case supporting their position.

Lower Courts & SCOTUS

Bissonnette and Wojnarowski argue they should be considered transportation workers as they delivered goods across state lines. They cite conflicting circuit court rulings and the recent "Southwest Airlines v. Saxon" case where the Supreme Court classified a ramp worker as a "transportation worker."

Impact

The Court's decision could impact private carriers in non-transportation industries and clarify the definition of "interstate commerce" regarding final-mile deliveries.

It also raises questions about classifying workers based on their employer's industry rather than their job duties, with Justice Alito expressing concerns about potential confusion and inconsistencies in applying the act across different industries.

Courtesy: Trucking Dive