Div. Resource Ctr. v. Ri Dept. of Labor

**Rhode Island Court Rules Worker Entitled to Unpaid Wages** This case involved Gladys Moran, who worked for the Divorce Resource Center of Rhode Island. The dispute centered on whether Moran was actually an employee of the center or an independent contractor. This classification matters because employees are entitled to certain wage protections that contractors don't receive. Moran claimed the center owed her $7,092.90 in unpaid wages. The Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training initially ruled that Moran was indeed an employee, not a contractor, and was therefore entitled to her unpaid wages. When the Divorce Resource Center challenged this decision, the Rhode Island Supreme Court sided with the worker. The court affirmed the Department's finding and ordered the center to pay Moran the full $7,092.90 in back wages. **What this means for workers:** This ruling reinforces that employers cannot simply call someone a "contractor" to avoid paying proper wages. Courts will look at the actual working relationship, not just the label an employer uses. If you believe you've been misclassified as a contractor when you should be treated as an employee, you may have legal protections and rights to unpaid wages.