The final DOL test s significance is indirect for state wage and hour lawsuits and private actions. Yet it could be significant indeed depending on the situation of trucking contractors at any given carrier.
Legal experts echo the overarching theme of owner-ops own perspectives on the contractor status featured in Part 1 of this report that the control factor does/should weigh heavily. Yet questions loom for courts.
Short answer: It s complicated. Following DOL s final rule on employee/contractor classification, this series examines the legal and owner-operator perspective on just what makes an independent contractor in trucking.