A California federal magistrate recommended certification of a putative class of FedEx Freight truck drivers who claimed the shipping giant violated California labor laws by failing to pay adequate wages, ruling the plaintiff has met all the requirements for establishing a class. Lead Plaintiff Taylor alleges FedEx Freight failed to pay fair wages to line-haul drivers who were paid based on mileage, which didn’t account for non-driving activities performed during the course of a trip. Taylor also alleges FedEx didn’t provide meal and rest breaks and failed to provide accurate wage statements.
U.S. Magistrate Barbara A. McAuliffe said a class of at least 100 drivers should be certified, shooting down FedEx’s argument that differing circumstances for each individual driver would prevent a class-wide resolution of the dispute.
The case is Roy Taylor v. FedEx Freight Inc., case number 1:13-cv-01137, in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California.
