Campbell Soup Accused of Misclassifying Drivers as Contractors

Campbell Soup Co. and Snyder’s-Lance Inc., a part of Campbell’s snacks division, have misclassified hundreds of their delivery drivers as independent contractors in violation of federal and Illinois overtime wage laws, a proposed class action alleges.

Campbell’s “scheme” cheats its employees, its competition, and state and federal governments, says the complaint filed Nov. 15 with the US District Court for the Northern District of Illinois.

“Campbell Snacks sells the notion that these ‘independent contractors’ will run and control their own sales-based business with their own customers for their own profit and gain,” the lawsuit asserts. “But Campbell Snacks never actually ...