Yesterday, as anticipated, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit adopted the decision of the Kansas Supreme Court that FedEx Ground drivers, as a matter of law, were employees and not independent contractors under the Kansas Wage Payment Act (KWPA). The Seventh Circuit had “certified” two questions to

FedEx Ground has been at the epicenter of the crackdown on IC misclassification by government regulators, state legislators, and plaintiffs’ class action lawyers since 2007, when a California appellate court found single-route FedEx Ground delivery drivers to have been misclassified as independent contractors (ICs) instead of employees.[1] But in 2009[2]

141 drivers classified as independent contractors by FedEx Ground will receive $5.8 million in settlement of their misclassification lawsuit brought under federal and Maine wage and hour laws.  The amount includes their class counsels’ legal fees of $1.9 million.  Scovil v. FedEx Ground Package System, Inc., d/b/a FedEx Home Delivery

On July 3, FedEx Ground drivers won summary judgment in their misclassification lawsuit brought against the global courier company under the Massachusetts Independent Contractor Act.  No. 11-11094 (D. Mass. 7/3/13).  Judge Richard G. Stearns of the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts rejected all of FedEx Ground’s defenses,

Last month, the federal district court judge assigned to handle dozens of state law class action claims brought around the country against FedEx Ground by its drivers, who have claimed they are “employees” misclassified as independent contractors (ICs), issued a comprehensive ruling covering 42 of the of the remaining lawsuits.