LOS ANGELES – A truck driver has filed a class-action suit against a transportation company alleging he was misclassified as an independent contractor.
Walter Flores Guevara filed a complaint individually and on behalf of other members of the general public similarly situated on Aug. 25 in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California against J.B. Hunt Logistics Inc., J.B. Hunt LLC, J.B. Hunt Transport Inc., J.B. Hunt Inc. and Does 1-10 alleging that they violated the California Labor Code and Fair Labor Standards Act.
According to the complaint, the plaintiff alleges that he was employed by the defendant as a truck driver in 2013 and 2014 as an independent contractor and was required lease a truck, pay for repairs, maintenance, fuel and insurance at his own expense. He alleges he also was not paid overtime wages.
The plaintiff holds J.B. Hunt Logistics Inc., J.B. Hunt LLC, J.B. Hunt Transport Inc., J.B. Hunt Inc. and Does 1-10 responsible because the defendants allegedly misclassified the plaintiff and other class members as independent contractors to avoid paying state and federal taxes and to place the burden of truck operation costs on the drivers.
The plaintiff requests a trial by jury and seeks judgment against the defendants, damages, interest, costs of suit, attorneys' fees and other relief that the court deems proper. He is represented by Daniel G. Emilio, Justin G. Schmidt and Laurie M. Cortez of Emilio Law Group APC in Garden Grove.
U.S. District Court for the Central District of California Case number 16-cv-06410