When companies break the law, workers suffer. Imagine working hard every day, only to find out that the company you had been working for has been stealing from you. This was the case for a group of Michigan truckers, represented by Miller Cohen, P.L.C., who recently won a significant legal battle against the pay thieves.
RSP Express Inc. was found guilty of underpaying its driver/owner-operators by skimming off the top of their contracts. This victory highlights the power of standing up for your rights and seeking justice.
Fighting for working people
A Michigan federal judge awarded over $10 million to roughly 70 truckers who sued RSP Express Inc. for underpaying them by skimming off the top of their contracts. The lawsuit, which we filed in 2019, claimed that RSP hid revenue from shipping contracts, resulting in significant underpayments.
The Court found RSP and its owners liable for a racketeering scheme, as they sent fraudulent statements to drivers and underreported gross revenues. Their contract entitled the driver/owner-operators to 80% of the gross revenues from freight they transported. The truckers did not receive their 80%. Instead, RSP and its owners concocted a scheme where they underreported their revenue using the U.S. mail to send out weekly settlement statements to the truckers that included a phony revenue number.
After years of litigation, the Court entered Judgment in favor of the owner-operators in the amount of $10,463,386.50 after trebling damages. Trebling refers to awarding parties three times the amount of actual damages, which courts can allow in Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act cases.
Attorneys Bruce Miller, Keith Flynn, and Yvonne Tirakian, called the ruling a “major victory for working people” and are determined to ensure the drivers receive their owed compensation, despite anticipated resistance from the defendants.
The power of fighting back
This ruling is a powerful reminder that employees have rights and that fighting back against unscrupulous employers can lead to accountability and financial relief. If you’re a worker who believes that the company that you have been working for has wronged you, don’t be afraid to speak up and seek legal advice.