In a closely watched decision issued this week, the Supreme Court held that last-mile delivery drivers qualify as "transportation workers" under Section 1 of the Federal Arbitration Act, exempting them from mandatory arbitration clauses commonly embedded in gig-economy contracts.
The ruling resolves a circuit split that had produced inconsistent outcomes for drivers working for national logistics platforms. Class-action practitioners expect a wave of newly viable wage-and-hour and misclassification suits in the coming quarters, particularly against companies that rely on independent contractor fleets for interstate parcel delivery.
Defense counsel are already advising clients to audit their arbitration agreements and consider structural changes to driver relationships. Plaintiffs' firms, meanwhile, are coordinating intake for drivers who previously had claims compelled to arbitration.