Workers, Take a Stand!

Last weekend, The New York Times published a much-debated exposé of Amazon.com’s workplace culture. It painted a grim picture – and raised questions about how American companies treat their employees. The way we work matters, and the way companies pay their workers is a big part of that. In this week’s newsletter, we examine how some companies are misclassifying employees as independent contractors to avoid paying proper wages – and how workers are starting to fight back. We’ve also got the latest news on a patient data breach, an airline price-fixing scandal, and pressure washers that may break long before they should. Asserting your rights as a worker and consumer is important – and ClassAction.org is here to help.

- Simon Clark, ClassAction.org Writer

Out-of-Network Costs Land Patients with Surprise Medical Bills

Attorneys working with ClassAction.org are investigating whether patients who were “balance billed” may be able to file class action lawsuits. What’s balance billing, you ask? It’s when you’re asked to make up the difference between the cost of an out-of-network doctor or facility and what your insurance plan actually covered. The problem is this: patients are receiving these bills after going to in-network providers. While most people expect treatments at in-network facilities to be covered entirely by their insurance, many are finding that certain doctors – anesthesiologists, for example – are actually “out of network,” and therefore cost a lot more. A lot of the time, patients have no idea they’ll be billed for out-of-network care after going to in-network facility, and the charges, not surprisingly, come as an unwelcome shock. Has this happened to you? Get in touch and help us with our investigation.

Pressure washers make life easier, turning once time-consuming tasks into much simpler projects. What happens if your pressure washer’s pressure goes away, though? According to several consumer complaints, that’s exactly what’s happening with Troy-Built/Briggs and Stratton washers. Online, consumers have reported problems including a drop in pressure, no pressure, stalling, and even trouble starting the washers. This could happen after as little as 15 hours of use. Attorneys working with ClassAction.org are now looking into whether a class action lawsuit could be filed against the manufacturer – so, if you’ve experienced problems with your pressure washer, tell us about it.

Independent Contractors Bear Burden of Misclassification

Independent contractors across the country are suing the companies they work for alleging they were misclassified. Why would a company pretend its workers are contractors and not employees? Simple: employees are entitled to minimum wage and overtime pay, and require that the company pay unemployment taxes. Independent contractors, on the other hand, pay their own taxes and aren’t covered by similar pay regulations. In a lot of cases, contractors are essentially doing the work of employees without receiving any of the added benefits. It’s a bad position for the worker – and so, by filing lawsuits, individuals are now starting to fight back. Sadly, misclassifying workers is common across a wide range of industries, from trucking and delivery services to exotic dancing.

Class Action Settlements:
Can You File a Claim?

Our settlements page is always being updated. Have you checked to see if you're covered by any open settlements? You can also check out the latest settlements as they happen by following us on Twitter.

To view a complete list of settlements and to find out how you can file a claim, click here.