Supreme Court rules federal agency can sue when workers can't

WASHINGTON - The federal agency assigned to root out discrimination on the job can seek money or other damages in court for employees who have signed away their own rights to sue, a divided Supreme Court ruled Tuesday. <br> <br> In a setback for employers, the high court held that the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission may sue on behalf of a short-order cook fired after he had a seizure at a Waffle House restaurant. The restaurant chain is based in Norcross. <br> <br> Like around ten percent of American workers, Eric Scott Baker agreed when he was hired that any on-the-job dispute would be resolved by arbitration. <br> <br> The EEOC did not sign such an agreement, and is not bound by it, Justice John Paul Stevens wrote for the majority. <br> <br> The agency had argued it should be able to ignore an arbitration agreement if pursuing the case would help employees in general or would make examples of employers who mistreat their workers. <br> <br> Justice Clarence Thomas, a former EEOC chairman, found himself on the losing side of a ruling that establishes the agency&#39;s power to seek back pay and similar damages.