California bill banning forced arbitration heads to governor

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Employers in California could not force workers to give up their right to sue the company under a bill that is headed to the governor’s desk.

The California Senate voted Thursday to approve a bill that would ban employers from forcing workers to agree to arbitration for some potential disputes with the company.

The bill would still let workers sign such agreements, but they could not be punished for not signing them. It would only apply to people hired after Jan. 1, 2020.

Republican Sen. Jeff Stone of Temecula said the bill violates federal law and will likely be challenged in court.

Former Gov. Jerry Brown vetoed a similar bill last year.

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This has been corrected to show that the vote was Thursday, not Wednesday.