In a compelling legal battle that underscores the ongoing debate over worker classification, Alaina Hatfield has filed a class and collective action lawsuit against GuardianVets, Inc. and its CEO John Dillon. The complaint was lodged in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois on January 17, 2025. Hatfield accuses GuardianVets of misclassifying her and other workers as independent contractors rather than employees, thereby denying them rightful overtime wages under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and the Illinois Minimum Wage Law (IMWL).
Alaina Hatfield, a resident of Bridgeport, Illinois, claims she was employed by GuardianVets from January to September 2022 as a Veterinary Technician. During this period, she alleges that she regularly worked over 40 hours per week without receiving overtime pay. The lawsuit argues that GuardianVets' classification of workers as independent contractors allowed the company to avoid paying employment taxes and benefits such as social security and unemployment insurance. Hatfield asserts that this misclassification was not only unjust but also illegal under both federal and state labor laws.
The complaint details how GuardianVets required Hatfield to sign an Independent Contractor Consulting Agreement (ICC Agreement), which stipulated her status as an independent contractor. Despite this designation, Hatfield contends that her work was integral to GuardianVets’ business operations, akin to an employee's role rather than an independent contractor's. She highlights several factors supporting her claim: lack of negotiation power over pay rates, adherence to strict company protocols, inability to hire others or perform work for multiple clients simultaneously—all indicative of employee status under FLSA guidelines.
Hatfield is seeking class certification for two groups: those denied overtime wages ("Overtime Class") and those affected by unjust enrichment due to misclassification ("Unjust Enrichment Class"). She estimates these classes comprise at least 40 individuals each who were similarly misclassified and deprived of fair compensation. Through this lawsuit, Hatfield seeks recovery of unpaid wages with interest, liquidated damages under FLSA provisions, statutory penalties under IMWL statutes, compensatory damages for unjust enrichment claims—and reasonable attorney fees.
Representing Hatfield is Alexandros Stamatoglou from Garfinkel Group LLC. The case is presided over by judges from the Northern District of Illinois with Case ID 1:25-cv-00635.