Opinion ID: 2042994
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: Arbitrability of Discrimination Claims.

Text: Section 601A.16(1) states, [a] person claiming to be aggrieved by an unfair or discriminatory practice must initially seek an administrative relief by filing a complaint with the Commission.... We have noted that concurrent or parallel grievance procedures and statutory appeal procedures are undesirable and should be avoided. Shenandoah Educ. Ass'n. v. Shenandoah Community School Dist., 337 N.W.2d 477, 482 (Iowa 1983). We have also held that when the legislature has made the dispute resolution provisions of a chapter exclusive, arbitration is inappropriate. Devine v. City of Des Moines, 366 N.W.2d 580, 582 (Iowa 1985). We have often stated that the procedures under chapter 601A are exclusive and that a claimant asserting a discriminatory practice must pursue the remedy provided by the Act. Smith v. ADM Feed Corp., 456 N.W.2d 378, 381 (Iowa 1990); Lynch v. City of Des Moines, 454 N.W.2d 827, 831 n. 2 (Iowa 1990); Northrup v. Farmland Indus., 372 N.W.2d 193, 197 (Iowa 1985). More specifically, we have held that chapter 601A preempts other remedies which might be available, and that civil rights complainants will not be allowed to avail themselves of those other remedies. Vaughn v. Ag Processing, Inc., 459 N.W.2d 627, 638 (Iowa 1990). The specific language of section 601A.16(1), combined with our previous statements that the procedures under chapter 601A are exclusive, convinces us that the arbitration of civil rights violations is against public policy. Provisions for arbitration in a collective bargaining agreement do not override statutory civil rights provisions. Iowa Code § 20.28. The Court of Appeals of New York faced a similar situation involving Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, 42 U.S.C. 2000e 2000e-17. In re Wertheim & Co. v. Halpert, 421 N.Y.S.2d 876, 48 N.Y.2d 681, 397 N.E.2d 386 (1979). In a memorandum opinion, the court affirmed an order of the appellate division holding that an arbitration agreement was unenforceable where the claim to be arbitrated was the subject of an action pending in federal court. Id. at 877, 48 N.Y.2d 681, at 683, 397 N.E.2d at 387. We recognize the United States Supreme Court has held that the arbitration of a claim of employment discrimination does not bar an employee's right to proceed to trial under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Alexander v. Gardner-Denver Co., 415 U.S. 36, 48, 94 S.Ct. 1011, 1019-20, 39 L.Ed.2d 147, 158 (1974). Thus, generally, under federal law, victims of racial discrimination in the private sector have a choice of remedies and are not limited to Title VII. Id. at 47-49, 94 S.Ct. at 1019, 39 L.Ed.2d at 158. They can submit their discrimination claims to arbitration. However, even under federal law, Title VII is the exclusive remedy available to a federal employee complaining of job-related racial discrimination. Brown v. General Servs. Admin., 425 U.S. 820, 835, 96 S.Ct. 1961, 1969, 48 L.Ed.2d 402, 413 (1976). The election of remedies clause in the collective bargaining agreement is ineffective because, as the Commission's order points out, under Iowa law there is no choice to be made. Iowa law which specifically requires state civil rights complaints initially to be filed with the Commission. Iowa Code § 601A.16(1). When a violation of chapter 601A forms the basis of a public employee's grievance, arbitration is not an option. Hill was not adversely affected by the terms of the agreement. There was no retaliation on the part of the county or the local. Any other basis for his grievance that Hill might have, unrelated to his chapter 601A claim of discrimination, remains arbitrable. This is consistent with the agreement. The only issue which the agreement purported to affect was violations of an employee's rights regarding which the employee takes action through any court, governmental agency or other agency. Hill's complaint with the Commission dealt only with alleged racial discrimination, thus any other grounds for his grievance remain arbitrable. The agreement merely purported to deny employees the right to arbitrate something which we determine to be nonarbitrable.