Owen v. Bristol Care, Inc., No. 12-1719 (8th Cir. 2013)
Annotate this CaseBristol Care appealed the denial of its motion to compel arbitration in a suit initiated by its former employee asserting claims under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), 29 U.S.C. 201 et seq., and seeking class action certification. Given the absence of any contrary congressional command from the FLSA that a right to engage in class actions overrides the mandate of the Federal Arbitration Act, 9 U.S.C. 3-4, in favor of arbitration, the court held that arbitration agreements containing class waivers were enforceable in claims brought under the FLSA. Because the court concluded that the Mandatory Arbitration Agreement (MAA) signed by the employee and Bristol Care was enforceable, the court reversed the district court's decision and directed the district court to enter an order granting Bristol Care's motion to stay proceedings and compel arbitration.
Court Description: Civil case - Fair Labor Standards Act. The Mandatory Arbitration Act Agreement signed by plaintiff and defendant was valid and the district court erred in denying defendant's motion to compel arbitration; arbitration agreements containing class waivers are enforceable in Fair Labor Standards Act cases.
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