Jamal Adams v. Postmates, Inc.

**Postmates Drivers Lose Court Battle Over Arbitration** Jamal Adams and other Postmates delivery drivers sued the company, likely seeking to bring their employment-related claims as a class action lawsuit where multiple workers could join together. However, when the drivers signed up to work for Postmates, they had agreed to an arbitration clause that required them to resolve disputes individually through arbitration rather than in court as a group. The court ruled against the drivers. The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals decided that an arbitrator, not a judge, must determine whether the drivers had to follow the class action waiver in their arbitration agreement. The court found that the drivers' challenge didn't meet the narrow legal standards that would allow a court to decide this issue instead of an arbitrator. **What this means for workers:** This decision makes it harder for gig workers and employees to challenge arbitration agreements that prevent class action lawsuits. When companies require arbitration with class action waivers, workers typically must fight legal battles alone rather than joining together, which can be more expensive and intimidating. Workers considering gig work should carefully review arbitration clauses, as these agreements significantly limit how they can pursue workplace disputes.