PHOENIX — A federal judge has ordered that the discrimination lawsuit brought by former Arizona Cardinals employees Kendra Hogue and Don Shumpert be handled through private arbitration rather than a public trial. The decision, issued on Oct. 5, upholds the team’s motion to compel arbitration based on agreements the former workers signed when they were hired.

Background of the claims

Hogue, who served as executive assistant to Chief Operating Officer Jeremy Walls for roughly two months in 2024, alleges she endured racial discrimination, harassment, retaliation and disparate treatment that forced her to resign. Shumpert, a former offensive assistant and running backs coach who joined the organization in 2019 through the Bill Bidwill Coaching Fellowship, claims he was asked to perform the duties of two positions without additional pay. After requesting extra compensation, he says he was terminated on Oct. 3, 2022. He also contends that white coaches in comparable roles received more favorable treatment and that the Cardinals later issued false statements about his departure.

Legal arguments

The Cardinals moved the case to federal court in May and, on June 1, asked the court to enforce arbitration clauses that require any employment‑related dispute to be resolved through binding arbitration. Hogue and Shumpert argued that the process was unfair because it would give the NFL Commissioner, rather than a neutral third party, authority over the claims. They cited prior cases involving the NFL and former Las Vegas Raiders coach Jon Gruden, where courts found Commissioner‑controlled arbitration insufficiently neutral.

Judge’s ruling

U.S. District Judge (name not provided) rejected the comparison to the Gruden case, noting that the NFL and its Commissioner are not defendants in this matter; only the Cardinals and two of its executives are. The judge highlighted that the arbitration agreements allow the parties to use JAMS, an independent arbitration provider, as an alternative to Commissioner‑directed resolution. He also referenced a separate arbitration case, McDonough v. Bidwill, where an employee who pursued the same process was awarded $3 million, describing that outcome as “unbiased.”

Next steps

With the ruling, the lawsuit is stayed while the parties proceed to arbitration. Both sides must file status updates with the court every 120 days until the arbitration concludes.

Original reporting: azfamily KTVK/KPHO Phoenix (news) — read the source article.