Letitia James, New York’s attorney general, has brought a lawsuit against UPS, accusing the delivery giant of “repeatedly and persistently stealing wages from thousands of seasonal delivery workers across New York state.”
The lawsuit, filed in State Supreme Court December 15, alleges that UPS unlawfully withheld millions of dollars of these workers’ wages by not paying minimum wage, overtime or other compensation required under state and federal law. It asks the court to order UPS to pay restitution to the workers who were affected.
In an emailed statement, UPS said, “We are aware of the lawsuit by the New York Attorney's General Office. UPS denies the unfounded allegation of intentionally underpaying UPS employees. We offer industry-leading pay and benefits to our more than 26,000 employees in New York, and we remain committed to following all applicable laws.”
According to the New York Times, the workers cited in the lawsuit are driver helpers, who ride in UPS trucks and assist drivers with package delivery, and seasonal support drivers, who deliver packages from their personal vehicles.
UPS withheld wages by failing to record all hours worked, requiring widespread off-the-clock labor, and manipulating timekeeping systems to reduce paid hours, James said in a press release. ““UPS built its holiday business on the backs of workers who were not paid for their time and labor,” she continued.
“Joint Council 16 thanks the Attorney General’s office for continuing to uphold the rights of working New Yorkers,” said Thomas Gesualdi, President of International Brotherhood of Teamsters Joint Council 16, in the same press release. “Too often, we see corporations getting away with the exploitation and abuse of vulnerable workers. Teamsters, alongside Attorney General Letitia James, will always fight back against corporate greed and malfeasance. We are proud to stand together and bring UPS into compliance with the law. Wage theft is theft.”
