The U.S. Supreme Court declined on Monday to hear a challenge by Uber and Lyft to lawsuits by the state of California on behalf of drivers who signed agreements to keep legal disputes with the ride-hailing companies out of court in a legal fight over their status as contractors.

Uber and Lyft argued that lawsuits filed in 2020 by California Attorney General Rob Bonta and Labor Commissioner Lilia Garcia-Brower seeking back payments for withheld minimum wage, overtime and other benefits are invalid because the workers in question signed arbitration agreements with the companies.

The ride-hailing companies were asking the court to block California labor lawsuits that seek back pay for tens of thousands of drivers.

The high court said it would not hear the rideshare companies' bid to dismiss a lawsuit brought by the state on behalf of drivers misclassified as independent contractors.