Superior Court of California

County of Los Angeles

Department 78

JACQUELINE NEWBY; Plaintiff, vs. JC USA, INC. dba JENNY CRAIG, et al.; Defendants.

Case No.: 19STCV23920

Hearing Date: March 13, 2020

[TENTATIVE] RULING RE:

Defendant JC USA, Inc.’S Motion to Compel Arbitration

Defendant JC USA, Inc.’s Motion to Compel Arbitration is GRANTED.

FACTUAL BACKGROUND

This is an action for employment discrimination. The First Amended Complaint (“FAC”) alleges as follows. Plaintiff Jacqueline Newby (“Newby”) was formerly employed by Defendant JC USA, Inc. dba Jenny Craig (“Jenny Craig”) as a consultant beginning in 1989. (FAC ¶¶ 3, 9.) Newby took medical leave in 2017 and 2018 following hip surgery and a depressive episode. (FAC ¶¶ 11-12.) Jenny Craig refused to consider any reasonable accommodations and Newby filed a complaint with the EEOC. (FAC ¶¶ 14-17.) In November 2018, Jenny Craig severed its relationship with Newby, incorrectly claiming that Newby had resigned. (FAC ¶ 17-18.)

p