Time To Update Your Employee Agreements For The New Year?
Fourth District decision seems obvious -- if you want to hold your employees to an arbitration agreement -- having them actually sign an agreement is necessary. But having run a small business myself, I know all too well how often this does not happen.
So, here is your friendly reminder that those employee handbooks, while necessary and useful, are not the end all be all of your HR Departments. Is it time to review those employee agreements?
Mitri v. Arnel Management Company (Dec. 12, 2007) : Employees sued management company for sexual discrimination and harassment. The employer tried to enforce an arbitration agreement based solely on the language of the employee handbook requiring arbitration. Court says "not happening" without an agreement to arbitrate signed by each employee.
