Walmart Seeks to Compel ex-Employee’s BIPA Claims to Arbitration

Plaintiff Joann Davis’ claims against Walmart, her former employer, for alleged violations of the Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act would fail if adjudicated in court, but her case doesn’t belong in court, said Walmart’s memorandum Monday (docket 1:24-cv-03373) in U.S. District Court for Northern Illinois in Chicago in support of its motion to compel arbitration. Walmart also seeks a stay, pending the outcome of that arbitration. Davis’ April 25 class action alleges that Walmart’s “unlawful collection,” storage and use of its employees’ biometric data “exposes them to serious and irreversible privacy risks” (see 2404260002). But Davis “expressly agreed to arbitrate her claims against Walmart on an individual basis” when she signed Walmart’s human resources documents in September 2022 “at the outset of her employment,” said Walmart’s memorandum.