DART TRANSIT trucking company ripoff eagan, Minnesota

Larry,

Your reading way to far into my statement and missing the point, and the purpose.

The idea is to get this in front of as many government agencies as possible. That is what turns the heat up on scumbag companies like this.

And, I never said anything about overtime. I simply said wages.

The main thing to do here is the SS-8. That is the first step, and it determines the outcome of everything else.

I have personally done all of these things and prevailed.

The federal wage laws contain numerous exceptions.

My brother-in-law used to drive a shuttle van for an airport parking lot. When he found that he was not getting paid overtime he filed a complaint only to be told by the Dept. of Labor that truck drivers and their helpers are not covered.

Before getting too deep into a wage dispute with Dart, find out whether the law covers truckers.

You are entitled by law to be paid for all work done.

However, you have to give some more info on your situation, as your post was incomplete.

Was this a "lease" driving position? Did they call you an "independent contractor"?

Here is the way to get the ball rolling and put them in the [legal] hot seat.

Go to the IRS website, or local office and obtain form SS-8, "Determination of worker status. Fill it out completely and mail it in after keeping a copy for yourself. I would bet money that this determination comes back saying you were an "employee".

Now, figure up all of the hours you worked that you did not get paid for. Under federal law, most employees are entitled to earn at least the minimum wage for their time.

Stay off the phone. All claims and communications MUST be in writing, and sent via certified mail, return reciept requested. Be sure to put the certified# on the body of the letter itself and then keep a copy for yourself. This is very important as it proves exactly what you sent.

By the means above, send your "DEMAND FOR WAGES" to Dart. This will shake them up as they have seen this before, I'm sure. At the bottom of the letter, "CC" everyone like USDOL, state wage and hour, IRS, etc. This puts them on the hotseat and forces them to respond.

Also, be sure to file for unemployment, name them as an employer, do not say anything about any "independent contractor" bs. Again, this is just one more hurdle for them to jump through. Because it IS legal to quit a job and get unemployment if the reason for quitting is non-payment of wages, or being forced to do something unsafe or illegal.

Just go back to your log books and file the wage claim for ALL hours on duty, driving or not.

Have fun with these idiots, get every governmnent agency into their books, and then get paid!

FYI...Just because someone calls you an independent contractor does not make it so, regardless of any agreement you signed. There are legal criteria that have to be met for you to legally be an independent contractor. MOST of these truck driver "leases" have been deemed ILLEGAL when challenged. Mis-classification of workers in the trucking indiustry is RAMPANT and just now the IRS and various states and federal government agencies are stepping in.

The time is now to help fix this problem. Don't let them get away with this illegal activity.