Snapshot: Franchise-style routes, “independent contractor” labels, and arbitration
Flowers Foods, Inc. v. Brock () involved a distributor who operated through his own company but performed last-mile delivery for a national bakery supplier. The Supreme Court protected his ability to stay in court on wage claims by rejecting a rule that only workers who cross state lines may use the Federal Arbitration Act’s §1 transportation-worker exemption. The Justices noted—but did not resolve—whether a “contract of employment” exists when the paperwork is between two businesses. That open question matters for many labeled “1099” route drivers. Opinion (PDF) · Case brief.