WORLD’S FINEST CHOCOLATE MISCLASSIFICATION CLASS ACTION

Olivier & Schreiber has filed a lawsuit against World’s Finest Chocolate on behalf of “Independent Sales Representatives” (ISRs) who work for the company. The plaintiff if the case is a former ISR who alleges that she and other ISRs in California were misclassified as independent contractors rather than as employees. Our firm is continuing to investigate these claims against World’s Finest Chocolate. If you have information or want to speak to a lawyer, click here to arrange a free consultation with one of the firm’s attorneys. The case is currently pending in the Alameda County Superior Court (a copy of the complaint can be found here).

Independent contractors miss out on critical benefits of employment, and unlawful misclassification schemes shift risk to workers and allow companies to avoid paying taxes and retirement benefits (such as Social Security) to workers who should be classified as W-2 employees. Some employers even ask their workers to sign “releases” of their past claims in exchange for small payments. Sometimes these agreements include terms that purport to prohibit workers from participating in any lawsuit. Other employers force workers to sign arbitration “agreements” that deny workers the opportunity to bring their claims in court, or bring their claims with other workers (such as in a class action). If you have questions about such efforts by your employer, you can ask a lawyer.