Union School District 45 v. Wright & Morrissey, Inc.

**What Happened** Union School District 45 hired Wright & Morrissey, Inc. to build sidewalks, but the sidewalks were damaged by frost heaving (when freezing and thawing causes pavement to buckle and crack). The school district had to pay $102,477 to rebuild the damaged sidewalks and sued the construction company to recover these costs. The construction company argued the dispute should go to arbitration (a private resolution process) rather than court. **What the Court Decided** The Vermont Supreme Court ruled in favor of the school district. The court found that both parties had given up their right to arbitration by not requesting it in time. Additionally, an architect had already made a decision holding the contractor responsible for the faulty work, and this decision was final and binding. The construction company had to pay the full $102,477 in damages. **Why This Matters for Workers** This case shows that construction contracts often include arbitration clauses, but these rights can be lost if not used promptly. For workers in construction or other industries with similar contracts, it's important to understand that failing to meet deadlines for arbitration requests can force disputes into regular courts instead.