Legal Question in Constitutional Law in Pennsylvania
Wavier of Jury by Trial
In February I started work with a company who sent employees to training for a 3 week course before their work began. At this training course we completed pages of administrative/health/financial paerwork. One of the papers we were required to sign was a wavier of a right to a trial by jury if we were to take the employer to court. We were informed that a refusal to sign this agreement would result in us loosing the position. Nobody in our training class wanted to sign it, but foolishly, myself and my classmates did. Is this an unconstitutional request? Even though we signed the agreement can they hold us to it if it is unconstitutional?
1 Answer from Attorneys
Re: Wavier of Jury by Trial
A forced agreement such as you describe is legally deficient and unenforceable. Even though you signed it, under duress and threat, the courts will not enforce it if you have a claim arising from the training which merits a jury trial.