CHICAGO – Two New York truck drivers have filed a class action suit against two Illinois corporations and an executive, saying they were misclassified as independent contractors.
Saijan Dosmetov and Shukhratjon Rakhimkulov filed a complaint on behalf themselves and other current and former employees of defendants on Jan. 4 in Cook County Circuit Court against Sergey Simonenko, LST Freight Inc. and SRT Express Inc. alleging violation of the Illinois Wage Payment and Collection Act.
According to the complaint, the plaintiffs allege the defendants misclassified them as independent contractors. They also allege Simonenko falsified electronic logs to reduce or falsify the number of hours the plaintiffs and class members would record. The plaintiffs also allege the defendants charged them for the use of odometers and other equipment and did not compensate them for fuel.
The plaintiffs allege the defendants misclassifed them as independent contractors to withhold earned compensation, make deductions and avoid application of the IWPCA.
The plaintiffs seek compensatory and punitive damages of more than $1.5 million, statutory interest, court costs and attorney fees. They are represented by Julia Bikbova in Northbrook.
Cook County Circuit Court case number 2019CH00149