Harrison v. Local One, International Union of Elevator Constructors of New York and New Jersey, AFL-CIO

**Court Protects Arbitrator from Being Sued Over Decision** This case involved a dispute where someone tried to sue an arbitrator named Carol Maria Luttati along with other parties in an employment-related matter. The person filing the lawsuit (Harrison) wanted to include the arbitrator as someone who could be held responsible for damages in the case. The court sided with the arbitrator and removed her from the lawsuit entirely. The judge ruled that arbitrators cannot be sued for decisions they make while serving in their official role as neutral decision-makers. The court explained that arbitrators have legal immunity, which protects them from being held personally liable for their arbitration rulings. This decision matters for workers because it reinforces an important principle in employment disputes. When workers go through arbitration to resolve workplace conflicts, they can trust that the arbitrator will make decisions without fear of being personally sued later. This protection helps ensure arbitrators remain truly neutral and independent. However, it also means that if workers disagree with an arbitration decision, they generally cannot sue the arbitrator personally - they must follow other legal procedures to challenge unfavorable rulings. This maintains the integrity of the arbitration process that many workers rely on to resolve employment disputes.