Truck Driver Labor and Personal Injury Attorneys in Kent
Kent is located in King County, Washington, right at the heart of the Seattle-Tacoma metropolitan area. It is the sixth largest city in the state, with a population of nearly 115,000 residents. The area boasts of breathtaking views of Mount Rainier and the Cascade and Olympic Mountains.
With peaceful neighborhoods, picturesque views, and excellent school systems, it is no wonder the Seattle Metropolitan Magazine considers Kent one of the “Best Places to Live.”
Booming Commercial Growth Hampered by Trucker Shortage
The city’s burgeoning economy makes it a top location for commercial establishments. The Kent industrial valley is the fourth largest manufacturing valley and distribution area in the US. As a result, it has earned a reputation as an economic barometer for the region. It also generates one-eighth of Washington’s GDP, which totals nearly $50 billion annually.
Companies like Seattle Bicycle Supply, Oberto Sausage Company, and Recreational Equipment Inc., have headquarters in the city. Amazon and Boeing also have their facilities in Kent, while Whirlpool Corporation and General Electric Appliances have set up regional distribution centers in the area.
The trucking industry benefits from the city’s robust, local economy. But as the nation’s unemployment rates go down, companies hope they can attract and retain more workers by increasing salaries and offering bonuses.
In the case of the transportation and logistics industry, however, those approaches may not be working.
The trucking industry reports a growing labor shortage, which the American Trucking Association estimates at 63,000. And this trucker shortage could have far-reaching effects.
Delivery delays already happen frequently, and they could have a disastrous impact on brand image, customer satisfaction, and revenues.
Most importantly, however, the labor shortage could take a toll on a truck driver’s physical and mental health. Trucking jobs require drivers to leave their families for a few weeks and cope with cramped and uncomfortable living conditions.
For some truckers, the stressful demands of the job could cause them to render excessive overtime hours or put them at risk for injuries or occupational diseases.
Truck Drivers Face a Great Risk of Injuries and Accidents
Truck drivers require a license to get on the road. One can only obtain that license after passing a state test. If the driver wishes to haul certain types of material, they need to go through even more specialized training and tests to receive an endorsement for the transportation of those items.
Even with the proper education and testing, drivers still face serious risks while on the road. These can include external factors, such as speeding, distracted driving, tailgating, tire blowouts, animal crossings, the lack of vehicle maintenance, and more. But a majority of these accidents happen as a result of fatigue and work-related musculoskeletal disorders. These include back, neck, muscle, arm, and shoulder injuries due to overexertion or repetitive motions.
While state and federal laws determine how long a driver can stay on the road, some truck drivers may feel pressured to meet unreasonable delivery deadlines. In some cases, fatigue can seriously impair a driver’s ability to react and measure distance on the road. As a result, it puts them at a greater risk for injuries and accidents.
Work Log Trucker Regulations Prevent Fatigue
A government rule released in 2016 requires an estimated three million and commercial truck and bus drivers to electronically record the time they spend working behind the wheel. The rule helps prevent driver fatigue and makes it easier for roadside safety inspectors to track down violators of federal law.
The electronic logging devices automatically record driving time by monitoring engine hours, the number of miles drivers spend on the road, vehicle movement, and location details. The automated technology aims to enforce proper driving and safety compliance with the minimum hours of service.
As a truck driver from Kent, WA you are entitled to payments for rest breaks on a piece-rate basis. This means your employer compensates you based on the amount of measurable work you complete, rather than by the number of hours you spend working. Some call this the “payment by results” system.
This method of compensation is legal and helps motivate workers to boost productivity and exceed the benefits of time-based compensation. As a delivery driver, you are entitled to a 10-minute rest break every four hours. Moreover, state laws mandate that you receive a separate pay for rest breaks and non-driving time.
Not All Truck Drivers Receive Fair Compensation
To meet delivery deadlines, some commercial truck and transport companies may implement unlawful pay practices. As a result, you could fall victim to wage abuse and other violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act. Your employer may commit one or more of the following:
- Maintain inaccurate pay records
- Refuse to reimburse you for on-the-job and transportation-related expenses
- Enforce compensatory time-off protocols for you and other operators instead of providing overtime pay
- Fail to provide “detention pay” for after you spend hours waiting for loading and unloading shipment times
- Compensate you on a strict mileage basis without providing covering rest periods, meal breaks, non-driving activities
- Misclassify you and other operators as independent contractors to save money and avoid wage, overtime, and compensation requirements.
If you have experienced any of these abuses, then it’s important you speak up. More than receiving just compensation, you have a right to work under safe conditions.
We Fight for Your Rights
Turn to Truck Driver Rights for aggressive representation in your wage and class action lawsuit. We represent truck drivers in Kent, Washington. Our attorneys will help you get the fair compensation you deserve due to unsafe conditions at work.
If other truck drivers in your company lack fair treatment as well, we can take this one step further and file a class action lawsuit.
Our team will represent you in matters relating to violations of employment compensation rights, including unpaid overtime, working off the clock, and missed rest and meal breaks. Our team will fight for your rights and ensure that your employer complies strictly with labor laws.
If you are concerned about potential labor law violations, contact our employment law attorneys to discuss your situation. By choosing our law firm in Kent, you won’t have to worry about fees because we work on a contingency basis. We collect no fees until we settle.
Call us to discuss your case today.