Johnson v. U-Haul Company of New York and Vermont, Inc.

**Worker's Wage Theft Case Sent to Private Arbitration** A worker sued Dollar General Corporation claiming the company stole wages owed to her. However, when she tried to take her case to court, Dollar General argued that she had to resolve the dispute through private arbitration instead of a public lawsuit. The court sided with Dollar General and ordered the case to arbitration. The judge found that when the worker created an account on Dollar General's mobile app, she agreed to terms and conditions that included a requirement to settle any disputes through arbitration rather than court. The court determined her wage theft claims fell under this arbitration agreement. **What This Means for Workers:** This ruling highlights how employment-related apps can contain binding arbitration clauses that limit workers' rights to sue in court. When workers agree to app terms and conditions—often without reading them carefully—they may unknowingly give up their right to pursue claims in public courts. Instead, disputes must be resolved through private arbitration, which typically favors employers and provides less transparency than court proceedings. Workers should carefully review any terms and conditions before agreeing to workplace apps or digital services.