A Republican-led challenge to California’s AB 5 law that limits the classification of workers as independent contractors fizzled last week; a federal judge dismissed a trucking associations lawsuit challenging the law, Courthouse News reports.
Trucking association. A lawsuit by the Western States Trucking Association challenging California’s sweeping labor classification law was dismissed Monday by a federal judge in Los Angeles who in a tentative ruling said the group’s claims were not ripe.
The association said in its federal complaint filed in December 2019 that AB 5 includes three provisions that are preempted by federal law and unfairly target trucking companies that provide services to construction projects as subcontractors.
However, the state has agreed the bill’s provisions do not apply to the association’s members, leading the judge to dismiss the case in a tentative ruling issued Monday, according to Courthouse News.
Legislation. Meanwhile, last week a Republican bill in California to overturn AB 5 stalled in committee, Courthouse News reported. While that outcome was not surprising, the fact that there was a hearing at all is a sign of growing backlash against the bill, according to the news service. California’s Attorney General recently filed suit against Uber Technologies Inc. and Lyft Inc. alleging their drivers are misclassified under AB 5.
