TRENTON, N.J. (PIX11) — The rideshare company, Lyft, paid $19.4 million in a settlement with the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development after an audit alleged the company misclassified over 100,000 drivers.

The audit stemmed from Lyft drivers filing for unemployment insurance and disability benefits, according to the NJDOL. It revealed that Lyft had not made contributions to the state funds on the drivers' behalf, classifying them as independent contractors, officials said.

When workers are classified as such, they lose the right to essential benefits like minimum wage, overtime, sick leave, family leave, workers' compensation and others.

NJDOL assessed Lyft's records from 2014 to 2017, which totaled nearly $11 million in past due contributions, plus $8.5 million in in

See Full Page