Before arbitration can go forward, the parties must have agreed to arbitrate the dispute.Arbitration agreements are usually signed at the beginning of a business relationship â long before thereâs a disagreement.They are often just a few sentences long, and are commonly found near the end of a larger contract under a heading such as âArbitrationâ or âDispute Resolution.â Employee arbitration agreements may be buried in an employment contract or employee handbook.An arbitration clause will typically say that all disputes arising under the larger contract will be submitted to binding arbitration. Sometimes a contract will say that only certain disputes will be arbitrated.The agreement may also say how the arbitration will be conducted. It may specify certain arbitration rules, such as the American Arbitration Association (AAA) rules, and it may say whether there will be one arbitrator or a panel of arbitrators. The agreement may also specify how the arbitrator will be chosen.The parties to a dispute may also agree to arbitration after a conflict has arisen, or even after a lawsuit has been filed.