Chen-Oster v. Goldman, Sachs & Co.
The U.S. Magistrate Judge denied Goldman Sachs' motion to stay a putative class action for gender discrimination and compel individual arbitration for plaintiff Lisa Parisi. The plaintiffs, including Parisi, alleged systematic gender discrimination under Title VII and New York City Human Rights Law. While Parisi's employment agreement contained an arbitration clause, the court found that her "pattern or practice" discrimination claim could only be effectively pursued as a class action. Compelling individual arbitration would prevent the vindication of her substantive statutory rights, rendering the class action waiver unenforceable.