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.