Independent Contractor Misclassification
Hinton Alfert Sumner & Kaufmann's employment law group represents workers who have been misclassified by employers in order to deny them benefits. We have recovered millions of dollars for employees through both class actions and individual lawsuits in California and other states. Some of the issues in our cases are listed below.
Issues in Independent Contractor Misclassification Cases
Companies often misclassify workers as "independent contractors" or "owner/operators," instead of calling them "employees," to get around state and federal employment laws. Often employers claim to give workers the freedom to "be your own boss" or "run your own company," only to cheat these workers out of hard-earned pay or benefits. This type of misclassification not only hurts individual workers, but also deprives state and federal government of tax revenues. Tell-tale signs that you may have been misclassified are: how and/or when you perform the job is up to the company, you wear the company uniform; and/or your job is integral to the product or service the company offers in the marketplace.
A Special Focus for Our Employment Group
Eradicating independent contractor misclassification has become an important focus of the federal and several state governments. At Hinton Alfert Sumner & Kaufmann our attorneys have litigated state and federal court actions on behalf of courier, freight truck, and shuttle drivers who have been misclassified as "independent contractors," "franchisees," and "owner/operators." These private enforcement actions are an important component in stopping these unlawful practices.
Examples of Our Cases
We have participated in "independent contractor" misclassification lawsuits on behalf of:
- California SuperShuttle drivers (read more about these verdicts and settlements and ongoing cases)
- Courier drivers (read more about these verdicts and settlements and ongoing cases)
- Delivery drivers for a freight-forwarding company (read more about these verdicts and settlements and ongoing cases)
For additional information about independent contractor misclassification, contact us or call 877-639-1737 toll-free to speak with a Walnut Creek employment lawyer.
