The Federal Court clarified the difference between independent contractors and employees in a key decision: Dalton v. Lee Publications, Inc. The Court found that the newspaper carriers can bring a class action lawsuit against the San Diego newspaper, The North County Times, as employees despite their having signed independent contractor agreements. The Court based its decision upon the total and utter control that the North County Times had over every aspect of the carriers’ performance showing that they were far from being “independent.”
Callahan & Blaine has led the attack against newspapers exploiting the carriers in the lead case Gonzalez v. Freedom Communications (aka The Orange County Register). After years of litigating, Callahan & Blaine settled the case on behalf of the carriers for $38 million. Callahan & Blaine now represents the carriers for several California companies.
Callahan & Blaine is California’s premier litigation firm having achieved the highest verdicts or settlements in five different areas of the law, i.e. business litigation, personal injury, employment, class actions and insurance bad faith.
For a copy of the Dalton v. Lee Publications opinion, please click the following link.
