CALIFORNIA TO HEAR APPEAL
OF ESTRADA CASE
On July 24 the California Court of Appeals will hear oral argument on FXG’s appeal in the case of Estrada vs. FedEx Ground. This is the California class action that held that Ground drivers in California were employees, and not, as FXG argued, independent contractors. After a 9-week trial, the judge wrote a lengthy opinion that scathingly criticized FXG in finding that contract drivers are employees. FXG appealed, in large part to delay enforcement of the decision. That time is winding down, as oral argument is the prelude to a final decision.
Attorney Lynn Faris will present the appeal at oral argument on behalf of the driver-plaintiffs. Ms. Faris is one of the lead counsel in the approximately 40 cases that have been consolidated before Judge Miller in federal district court in South Bend, Indiana. Ms. Faris and her partner Beth Ross tried the Estrada case on behalf of drivers and one a multi-million dollar decision and found the drivers to be employees. This ground-breaking decision has been on appeal since the decision issued in 2005, but now this last chapter is about to close. After oral argument, the court will decide the case and issue a written decision. We are confident that the lower court’s decision will be upheld.