BANGOR — Eight current and former FedEx drivers in Maine have filed a federal lawsuit claiming the package-delivery company misclassified them as independent contractors.

Attorney Harold Lichten told the Bangor Daily News that FedEx Ground Delivery and FedEx Home Delivery – affiliates of Memphis-based FedEx Corp. – use only independent contractors nationwide. He said by classifying drivers as contractors rather than employees, FedEx avoids having to pay Social Security, unemployment and payroll taxes, as well as overtime and workers’ compensation fees.

The complaint, filed Thursday in U.S. District Court, seeks to have the drivers reclassified as employees and to be paid past overtime wages and other compensation.

A company spokesman said FedEx would defend its business practices, as it has done in other court cases.


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