May 1, 2025: The American Arbitration Association (AAA) revised its Employment Arbitration Rules, effective May 1, 2025. Among other things, the new rules:
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are renamed as “Employment/Workplace Arbitration RulesOpens in a new window” to encompass broader workplace disputes, such as independent contractor misclassification claims;
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allow for administrative consolidation of multiple claims filed by the same party arising from the same contract;
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add procedures for conducting a preliminary hearing (formerly conducted as an “Arbitration Management Conference”); and
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provide that virtual hearings are the default unless the parties agree or the arbitrator decides otherwise.