Rodriguez

BACKGROUND

The Complaint On October 6, 2023, Rodriguez filed a complaint against Blattner. He alleged he began experiencing workplace harassment from his Blattner coworkers and supervisors in 2020, which led to job stress in 2021, and a temporary disability leave in June 2022. Though he requested accommodations and complained to his supervisor, no accommodations were made, and, in August 2022, Blattner fired him because “they had no more use for him at the company if he was unable to work.” Based on these allegations, Rodriguez brought six causes of action alleging discriminatory conduct in violation of FEHA, one cause of action for wrongful termination in violation of public policy, and one cause of action for unfair business practices. (Bus. & Prof. Code, § 17200 et seq.) The latter causes of action were based on the same conduct underlying Rodriguez’s FEHA claims. Petition to Compel Arbitration On December 1, 2023, Blattner petitioned to compel arbitration. Blattner claimed that, because Blattner entered a project labor agreement (the agreement) with Rodriguez’s union on February 15, 2022, Rodriguez, a contractor performing work on the project governed by the agreement, was…