7-Eleven Beats Franchisee Bid for Pre-Trial Win on Worker Status

7-Eleven Inc. is free of allegations it misclassified Boston-area franchisees as independent contractors instead of employees after a federal judge in Massachusetts rejected the workers’ summary judgment bid and instead granted the company a pre-trial win.

The franchisees sought class certification and summary judgment on the convenience store chain’s liability for allegedly misclassifying them. But the franchisees don’t perform services for 7-Eleven, so they can’t be employees under the Massachusetts Independent Contractor Law, the US District Court for the District of Massachusetts said.

Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton in 2020 granted summary judgment in 7-Eleven’s favor, and the franchisees elevated ...