One of Southern California’s largest port trucking companies filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on March 14, 2016. The company reported that downward pricing pressure and costs associated with worker misclassification litigation became insurmountable. The company reportedly lost eleven misclassification claims before the California Labor Commission and fourteen lawsuits in…

A bill recently introduced in the Louisiana House of Representatives would increase penalties for worker misclassification to extreme levels. As a result, the bill – H.B. 665 – would make it more risky for companies to do business with independent contractors. H.B. 665 would amend the Louisiana unemployment compensation law…

In what is likely a reaction to efforts to consider franchisors joint employers of franchisee employees, Wisconsin enacted S.B. 422 which pushes back against expansive joint employment tests. Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker (R) signed S.B. 422 into law on March 1, 2016. The new law provides that for purposes of…