Judge Rules Against Calif. Trucking Company over Classification

A state judge in Los Angeles has issued a civil judgment against a California trucking company that misclassified its drivers as independent contractors, California Attorney General Edmund Brown Jr. said Thursday.

Last month, Los Angeles Superior Court Richard Rico found that Pacifica Trucks, a Southern California fleet operator, failed to pay state employment-related taxes, contribute to Social Security and Medicare and provide W-2 forms to its employees.

It was the fifth such ruling against trucking companies since Brown filed a series of civil complaints beginning in 2008.

“We're sending a clear message that if you cheat your workers, we're coming after you,” Brown said in a statement announcing the ruling. “This judgment validates our continuing effort to ensure that all employees are protected.”