Perry v. Thomas

In this appeal we decide whether §2 of the Federal Arbitration Act, 9 U. S. C. §1 et seq., which mandates enforcement of arbitration agreements, pre-empts § 229 of the California Labor Codé, which provides that actions for the collection of wages may be maintained “without regard to the existence of any private agreement to arbitrate.” Cal. Lab. Code Ann. §229 (West 1971).

I

Appellee, Kenneth Morgan Thomas, brought this action m California Superior Court against his former employer, Kidder, Peabody & Co. (Kidder, Peabody), and two of its employees, appellants Barclay Perry and James Johnston.…