The Supreme Court made an important exception last week to its pro-employer position of compelling arbitration when it decided the case of New Prime Inc. v. Oliveira. Mr. Oliveira, a long-haul truck driver, had signed an arbitration agreement with his employer, New Prime Inc. When Mr. Oliveira tried to get his unpaid wages and expenses, New Prime invoked the Federal Arbitration Act (FAA), to force Oliveira to arbitrate his claim. Mr. Oliveira argued that the FAA does not apply to “contracts of employment” of transportation workers. New Prime, however, claimed that Mr. Oliveira was an independent contractor and that the language in the FAA did not apply to his claims. In a unanimous decision, the Supreme Court held that “contract of…Read More