§ 10-3-23. Fees and costs of arbitration initiation — Invoice — Breach of agreement — Sanctions.
(a)(1) In an employment or consumer arbitration that requires, either expressly or through
application of state or federal law or the rules of the arbitration provider, unless
there is a mutually agreed upon provision to split costs equally, the drafting party,
unless otherwise specified, is to pay certain fees and costs before the arbitration
can proceed. If the fees or costs to initiate an arbitration proceeding are not paid
within thirty (30) days after the due date the drafting party is in material breach
of the arbitration agreement, is in default of the arbitration, and waives its right
to compel arbitration under § 10-3-4.
(2) After an employee or consumer meets the filing requirements necessary to initiate
an arbitration, the arbitration provider shall immediately provide an invoice for
any fees and costs required before the arbitration can proceed to all of the parties
to the arbitration. The invoice shall be provided in its entirety, shall state the
full amount owed and the date that payment is due, and shall be sent to all parties
by the same means on the same day. To avoid delay, absent an express provision in
the arbitration agreement stating the number of days in which the parties to the arbitration
must pay any required fees or costs, the arbitration provider shall issue all invoices
to the parties as due upon receipt.
(b) If the drafting party materially breaches the arbitration agreement and is in default
under subsection (a) of this section, the employee or consumer may do either of the
following:
(1) Withdraw the claim from arbitration and proceed in a court of appropriate jurisdiction;
or
(2) Compel arbitration in which the drafting party shall pay reasonable attorneys' fees
and costs related to the arbitration.
(c) If the employee, consumer, or other involved party withdraws the claim from arbitration
and proceeds with an action in a court of appropriate jurisdiction under subsection
(b)(1) of this section, the statute of limitations with regard to all claims brought
or that relate back to any claim brought in arbitration shall be tolled as of the
date of the first filing of a claim in a court, arbitration forum, or other dispute
resolution forum.
(d) If the employee or consumer proceeds with an action in a court of appropriate jurisdiction,
the court shall impose sanctions on the drafting party in accordance with § 10-3-25.