News Notes: Employer To Pay $5.5 Million To Settle Misclassification Charges

The U.S. Department of Justice and Time Warner Inc. have reached a $5.5 million settlement to resolve a lawsuit charging that since 1990 the publishing giant has misclassified employees as independent contractors or temporary workers, causing them to be denied benefits including health insurance, pensions and employee stock ownership. The company did not admit liability, but said it agreed to the settlement to end the protracted litigation.