Labor laws have been enacted in the state of California and at the federal level to protect workers from unfair treatment. When an individual is hired, the basic understanding is that the employee gets compensated for providing work. With today’s economic climate, business owners are constantly looking for ways to save money and cut corners. Unfortunately, this can sometimes directly affect employees. A wage and hour lawsuit was recently filed against a California trucking company over allegations that it failed to pay employees and violated federal labor laws.
The civil lawsuit asserts that the trucking company intentionally misclassified its truck drivers as independent contractors, when they were really employees. The lawsuit alleges that drivers were classified as contractors so the company would not have to follow federal labor laws, which establish minimum wages and protect employees from unfair treatment. This resulted in truck drivers working without being compensated, according to the lawsuit.
A plaintiff in the lawsuit claims that he often worked close to 100 hour work weeks and was commonly paid less than $500 total for the week. The man alleges that some weeks he even owed his employer money, due to truck leases and other deductions. Reports say that over 400 drivers have joined the federal lawsuit against the company, alleging federal and California labor law violations.
Failing to pay employees is a direct violation of wage and hour laws such as the Fair Labor Standards Act. California workers who have been subjected to unfair acts by an employer could benefit from discussions with a legal representative. A successful lawsuit could result in compensation to reimburse lost wages and other monetary losses.