FILE PHOTO: An Amazon driver loads Whole Foods delivery orders in his car in Cincinnati, Ohio, U.S., July 1, 2018. Photo taken July 1, 2018. REUTERS/Lisa Baertlein/File Photo
(Reuters) - Thousands of Amazon.com Flex drivers filed arbitration claims on Tuesday, alleging they were misclassified as independent contractors rather than employees, the lawyer representing the drivers told Reuters.
About 15,800 drivers have submitted arbitration claims with the American Arbitration Association, seeking compensation from Amazon for unpaid wages, overtime and work-related expenses such as mileage and cellphone use, the lawyer said. Other 453 similar cases are already being litigated.
Amazon does not provide Flex drivers with 10-minute rest breaks when their shift lasts longer than 3.5 hours, one of the drivers said in its arbitration claims.
A claim said that Amazon does not provide 30-minute meal breaks for drivers who work more than five hours a day, whereas another claim alleged that Amazon fails to provide itemized wage statements required by California law.
"The Amazon Flex program gives individuals the opportunity to set their own schedule and be their own boss, while earning competitive pay," an Amazon spokesperson told Reuters.
Amazon Flex, which works like on-demand ride-hailing service Uber, handles speedy deliveries of common household goods to customers through programs such as Prime Now and Amazon Fresh.
(Reporting by Nilutpal Timsina in Bengaluru; additional reporting by Angela Christy; Editing by Alan Barona)
