Zullo

Petitioner Sharon Elizabeth Zullo sued her employer, real party in interest Inland Valley Publishing Co. (Inland), for wrongful termination in violation of the California Fair Employment and Housing Act (Gov. Code, § 12920 et seq.; FEHA). The superior court granted Inland’s petition to compel arbitration and stayed the civil proceedings. Petitioner challenged that ruling by way of a petition for writ of mandate. We temporarily stayed the arbitration and issued an order to show cause why relief should not be granted. We now grant the petition and issue the writ.

*481 I. Facts

Petitioner’s complaint states that she began working for Inland, the publisher of a weekly newspaper, in or around 2004. She was promoted to “Account Executive” on September 1, 2009. Her salary was $40,000 per year plus “sales bonuses.” Petitioner claims that her direct supervisor discriminated against her on account of her race and national origin and that she was discharged because she complained about the discriminatory treatment.

Inland’s petition to compel arbitration was based upon the arbitration policy contained in Inland’s employee handbook. Inland maintained that petitioner was given…