New Jersey trucking school to pay $345K to settle suit over misclassification of CDL instructors

New Jersey authorities announced a settlement with a Bergen County truck driving school that was accused of failing to properly classify its commercial driver’s license (CDL) instructors as employees.

On November 25, New Jersey Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin announced that Jersey Tractor Trailer Training, Inc. (JTTT) would pay $345,000 to settle a lawsuit filed in 2024.

The suit accused the company of misclassifying “at least 30 instructors as independent contractors, depriving them of their rightful wages and essential labor rights and protections.”

The amount owed by JTTT includes a payment of $127,839 to the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development (NJDOL) to satisfy all penalties, fees, and costs associated with bringing the lawsuit on behalf of the workers.

Eligible driving instructors are collectively entitled to receive up to $137,160, based on their individual earnings, Platkin said.

The settlement may be reduced by $80,000 if JTTT fulfills all its reporting obligations contained in the agreement.

The lawsuit alleges that “between 2018 and 2022, JTTT violated a host of New Jersey labor laws by, among other things, failing to pay overtime and timely pay the full amount of wages due; maintain records of hours worked and wages paid; provide earned sick leave; and contribute to the State’s Unemployment Compensation Fund, Disability Benefits Fund, Workforce Development Partnership Fund, and Supplemental Workforce Fund for Basic Skills.”

“No business operating in our state should be allowed to deprive workers of their rightful pay and benefits. That’s why my office, working in conjunction with Labor Commissioner Asaro-Angelo, has cracked down on worker misclassification, which denies employees their hard-earned pay and benefits,” said Platkin. “Today’s settlement is another important victory in the fight against worker misclassification. Our message is simple: comply with the law or face the consequences.”

“Our department is glad this matter has found a resolution as it reinforces something simple but essential: our longstanding laws matter, and respecting them protects workers, families, and businesses alike,” said Labor Commissioner Robert Asaro-Angelo.