Four U.S. Open tennis umpires, who allege that the United States Tennis Association has underpaid them for many years, have filed an unpaid wages lawsuit against the organization. According to the lawsuit, the United States Tennis Association underpaid them by classifying them as independent contractors.

The complaint was filed in federal court in Manhattan. The umpires allege that they were paid based upon a schedule that was set by the association. They were frequently made to work more than forty hours per week, but were never paid overtime. The lawsuit alleges that the United States Tennis Association paid umpires between $150 and $200 a day.

The lawsuit is seeking class-action status for hundreds of umpires who have worked for the United States Tennis Association over the years. It claims that hundreds of tennis umpires who officiated at U.S. Open matches, including main draws and qualifying matches over the past six years, have not been paid fair wages. The lawsuit seeks overtime and unpaid wages, as well as attorney fees.

The United States Tennis Association has responded to the lawsuit, saying that it is disappointed that the umpires have decided to exploit the organization. The organization says that the umpires only work for the U.S. Open for a few days in any given year, and are paid according to applicable employment laws.

Los Angeles class action employment lawyers often find that employers use misclassification of workers in order to avoid paying certain wages. For instance, classifying a worker as a subcontractor may make the worker ineligible overtime and other wages, and employers very often use these loopholes to save on payroll expenses.