Newspaper delivery company settles new jersey case with state for exploiting workers

TRENTON, NJ — New Jersey Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin and Labor Commissioner Robert Asaro-Angelo announced a $296,188 settlement with NJ Penn Logistics, LLC, a newspaper delivery company accused of misclassifying over 100 workers as independent contractors instead of employees.

The investigation, conducted by the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development (NJDOL) beginning in 2021, found that between 2018 and 2022, NJ Penn violated state labor laws, depriving workers of wages, benefits, and legal protections. The affected workers included newspaper delivery drivers, warehouse employees, and others.

NJ Penn Logistics, which lists prominent media outlets such as The New York Times, The Asbury Park Press, The New York Post, The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, The Philadelphia Inquirer, and The Star-Ledger among its clients, was found to have failed to pay wages, withheld or diverted employee earnings, and denied workers benefits like earned sick leave. The investigation also revealed that the company hindered NJDOL’s efforts to review its practices and illegally requested criminal history from job applicants.

“Companies that willingly erode the employment relationship make all of society worse off,” said Attorney General Platkin. Labor Commissioner Asaro-Angelo added that such violations “exploit workers and deny them their right to fair pay and benefits.”

Under the settlement, NJ Penn will pay $182,188.52 to eligible workers by February 1, 2025, and $114,000 in penalties and administrative fees to NJDOL. The company also agreed to reclassify all current and future workers as employees under New Jersey labor laws, ensuring compliance with requirements such as unemployment compensation and earned sick leave.

This case highlights New Jersey’s continued commitment to combating worker misclassification and protecting employees’ rights in all industries, including those servicing major media organizations.

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