Attorney General Bonta Celebrates U.S. Supreme Court Decision Upholding Workers’ Rights

OAKLAND - California Attorney General Rob Bonta today issued the following statement on the U.S. Supreme Court's decision in Flowers Foods v. Brock to uphold a lower court's decision that "last-mile" truck drivers working in the stream of interstate commerce are exempted from the Federal Arbitration Act (FAA). The FAA generally requires workers to resolve disputes against their employer in private arbitration when they have signed an arbitration agreement. However, the FAA includes an exemption for transportation workers engaged in interstate commerce. Today's decision upholds the lower court's ruling that a truck driver who picks up and delivers goods entirely within state lines qualifies for the exemption to the FAA when they are taking part in the delivery of goods moving in interstate commerce.

"Truck drivers are critical to state economies, and drivers should have access to courts to redress their workplace concerns to the fullest extent of the law. Today's court ruling is a win for workers' rights and preserving workers' ability to protect themselves from unlawful working conditions," Attorney General Bonta. "At the California Department of Justice, we are unwavering in our commitment to uphold laws to ensure workers continue to receive the protections and rights that they deserve and to prevent employers from evading accountability at the expense of worker welfare and fairness."

BACKGROUND

The lawsuit was brought by Angelo Brock, a Colorado truck driver who contracted to deliver goods for Flower Foods, alleging that the company misclassified drivers as independent contractors and denied them proper wages and overtime protections. Flower Foods argued that Brock's claims had to be resolved through private arbitration as he never personally crossed state lines or interacted with a vehicle that crossed state lines. However, as recognized by the court, Mr. Brock was engaged in interstate commerce while working by delivering goods that had arrived in his state from out-of-state manufacturing facilities.

The United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit affirmed the decision of the United States District Court for the District of Colorado allowing Mr. Brock's claims to proceed in court rather than private arbitration. Flower Foods appealed the district court's decision, but the Tenth Circuit rejected the company's argument. The company filed a petition for certiorari with the U.S. Supreme Court to review the Tenth Circuit's decision, and the Supreme Court agreed. Attorney General Bonta joined a multistate amicus brief to urge the Supreme Court to uphold the lower court's decision.