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NJ medical transportation company underpays dozens of workers, officials say
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NJ medical transportation company underpays dozens of workers, officials say

A Camden County company has been charged with misclassifying at least 52 employees and failing to pay correct wages, attorney general’s office officials announced Wednesday.

TransCare LLC, a Berlin-based medical transportation company, was accused of misclassifying drivers as independent contractors rather than employees, authorities said.

The investigation was launched after authorities received complaints from drivers that TransCare was not paying their full wages, officials said.

An investigation by the New Jersey Department of Labor found that those drivers and others were employees of the company and were not operating independent businesses, authorities said.

Authorities said TransCare was accused of exercising significant control over drivers, including directing where, when and how drivers were assigned and setting work hours and pay rates.

Drivers also must go through training, some of which is free, and drivers are asked to use a third-party mobile app to receive instructions and tasks, officials said.

Drivers were asked to pick up their company vehicles from the parking lot where they left their personal vehicles, and officials said they were expected to leave their time cards and collect their paychecks at the same location.

The civil suit also accuses the company of failing to pay minimum wage and overtime, failing to keep records, failing to pay employees on time and failing to make required contributions to various government funds, including the Unemployment Compensation Fund, officials said.

The Attorney General’s Office is asking the court for an order to stop misclassification of workers by TransCare and declare the drivers to be, and still are, employees of the company, officials said.

There was no immediate response to a message left with the company seeking comment Wednesday.

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Matthew Enuco can be reached at: [email protected]. To follow In Matt X