Sanchez v. Lasership, Inc.

In this case, truck drivers alleged that their employer misclassified them as independent contractors and accordingly paid them less than the minimum wage and did not compensate them for overtime. The district court held that the truck drivers’ claims are preempted by the Federal Aviation Administration Authorization Act of 1994 (FAAAA), which prohibits states from enacting or enforcing laws “related to a price, route, or service of any motor carrier…with respect to the transportation of property.” On appeal to the Fourth Circuit, Public Citizen filed an amicus brief in support of the truck drivers, arguing that the FAAAA does not preempt laws that do not target motor carriers “with respect to the transportation of property,” and that in any event, background employment laws do not “relate to” motor carrier prices, routes, or services. After the brief was filed, the parties settled the case.