TRENTON, NJ – A Bergen County truck driving school will pay more than $300,000 in back wages and penalties after state officials found it misclassified dozens of instructors as independent contractors, depriving them of overtime pay and benefits.
Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin and New Jersey Labor Commissioner Robert Asaro-Angelo announced the settlement Tuesday with Jersey Tractor Trailer Training, Inc. (JTTT), resolving a lawsuit filed in 2024.
The complaint alleged that between 2018 and 2022, the company misclassified at least 30 commercial driving instructors, violating multiple state labor laws and failing to contribute to required employment funds.
Settlement restores wages, enforces compliance
Under the agreement, JTTT has a total settlement obligation of $345,000. Of that amount, up to $137,160 will be distributed to affected instructors based on earnings records, while $127,839 will go to the Department of Labor to cover penalties, fees, and costs.
The total will be reduced by $80,000 if the company meets all reporting requirements over the next two years, including proof that current and future instructors are classified properly as employees.
Officials say case underscores state’s labor priorities
“No business operating in our state should be allowed to deprive workers of their rightful pay and benefits,” Platkin said. “Our message is simple: comply with the law or face the consequences.”
Labor Commissioner Asaro-Angelo said the resolution reinforces “our longstanding laws that protect workers, families, and businesses alike.”
Part of broader crackdown on worker misclassification
The JTTT case follows other state enforcement actions involving misclassified workers in transportation and logistics. Similar settlements have been reached with Publishers Circulation Fulfillment, NJ Penn, and Horseless Carriage, while a pending lawsuit targets Amazon’s Flex delivery program.
State attorneys from the Division of Law’s Labor Enforcement Section handled the case on behalf of the Department of Labor.
A Bergen County truck driving school agreed to pay $345,000 in back wages and penalties after misclassifying its instructors as independent contractors.