COURT RULING BENEFITS EMPLOYERS.(CAPITAL REGION)

Byline: JOHN CAHER - Staff writer

New York's top court on Friday threw out its own 13-year precedent and ruled that employers can force their workers to arbitrate disputes over racial and sexual discrimination.

The Court of Appeals, which had previously ruled that disputes as important as those should be resolved by a judge, now says the claims can be handled through compelled arbitration. Friday's decision is a victory, legally and economically, for employers.

"These claims of discrimination, which are often very costly and very difficult to defend against, can now be handled in a much more expeditious manner," said Vincent M. Bonventre, an …