From California Labor News, Gordon Gibb reports on a settlement of claims alleging workers were misclassified as independent contractors. Gordon writes:
AT&T has been battling a compliance lawsuit for some time, defending itself against plaintiffs in a nationwide FLSA collective alleging AT&T misclassified them as independent contractors and thus, stiffed them out of overtime.
The slight is deemed a violation of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FSLA). The employees’ rights lawsuit is Wendell Walton et al. v. AT&T Services Inc., Case No. 3:15-cv-03653, in the US District Court for the Northern District of California.
Walton is one of two lead plaintiffs in the compliance lawsuit brought as a class action by corporate training managers whose primary responsibility is instructing AT&T employees on corporate policies and related policies associated with vendors. Co-plaintiff in the class action lawsuit, identified as Michael Mantonya, joined Walton in accusing AT&T of incorrectly and unjustly classifying them as independent contractors.
Plaintiffs allege they are proper employees of AT&T and thus, should receive all employee rights and benefits under FLSA and California labor law, including the payment of overtime for all hours worked beyond an eight-hour day, and/or a 40-hour week.
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The plaintiffs in the case reached a settlement with AT&T and have formally requested the settlement valued at $2.75 million receive judicial approval. AT&T is also recommending the settlement be approved, while admitting to no wrongdoing.
Read the full story at California Labor Compliance Lawsuit Expected to Settle for $2.75 Million
