A federal judge in Pennsylvania granted FedEx’s motion to compel arbitration in a dispute with an independent service provider in Florida, concluding the plaintiff didn’t qualify as a “transportation worker” under the exemption under Section 1 of the Federal Arbitration Act.

In a July 5 opinion, U.S. District Judge Nora Barry Fischer of the Western District of Pennsylvania granted FedEx Ground’s motion to compel arbitration, after the plaintiff, Estanislao Enterprises Inc. (EEI), claimed FedEx engaged in abusive and illegal business practices toward itself and other “independent contractors” operating under independent service provider (ISP) agreements.