Current and former Werner Enterprises truck drivers who hauled at least one load between June 4, 2010 and July 14, 2023 are being paid from an $18 million wage settlement that won final approval on July 24, 2026. There was no claim form; Werner says the settlement administrator has started distributing checks.
What Happened?
The U.S. District Court for the District of Nebraska approved Werner Enterprises’ $18 million settlement of Abarca v. Werner Enterprises, Inc., No. 8:14-cv-00319, on July 24, 2026, according to the trucking company’s quarterly report for the period ended September 30, 2026. Werner says it paid the remaining settlement funds to the settlement administrator during that quarter, that the administrator is responsible for distributing checks to class members, and that it “has started distributing the checks.”The case, filed in 2014, alleged that Werner’s pay system did not pay drivers at least the minimum wage for non-driving work, including time in the sleeper berth, waiting for loads, inspections and securing cargo, and raised related meal and rest break, wage statement and final pay claims. Werner settled in October 2025, the day before trial, without admitting wrongdoing.
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Who Is Being Paid?
The settlement has two classes, covering June 4, 2010 through July 14, 2023, according to FreightWaves and Land Line:- Nebraska class: drivers who carried at least one load for Werner anywhere in the U.S.
- California class: drivers who lived in California and picked up or delivered at least one load in California.
How Much Each Driver Gets
Each Nebraska class member who did not opt out receives a $20 base payment, and each California class member a $40 base payment. The rest of the net fund is divided pro rata by the number of weeks each driver worked for Werner during the class period, so drivers with longer tenure receive more. Up to $8.25 million of the fund could go to attorneys’ fees and litigation costs, and the seven named plaintiffs could receive up to $15,000 each. No per-driver average has been published.When and How Payments Arrive
Werner’s latest quarterly report says the administrator, Atticus Administration, has started distributing checks and that the matter is closed on Werner’s side. The official settlement website is where the administrator posts distribution updates, and it is the place to confirm a mailing address or payment status. Drivers who have moved since leaving Werner are the most likely to miss a check.Other Trucking Wage Settlements
OCA also covers the separate CRST Expedited California truck driver settlement.Questions
Is the Werner truck driver settlement approved?
Yes. The U.S. District Court for the District of Nebraska approved the $18 million settlement on July 24, 2026, according to Werner’s quarterly report.
Do Werner drivers need to file a claim?
No claim form was required. Class members who did not opt out are paid from Werner’s records. Werner says the settlement administrator has started distributing checks.
How much will Werner drivers receive?
Nebraska class members get a $20 base payment and California class members a $40 base payment, plus a pro rata share of the remaining fund based on weeks worked from June 4, 2010 to July 14, 2023. No per-driver average has been published.
Who is not covered by the Werner settlement?
Student drivers and owner-operators leased to Werner are not in either class, and drivers who opted out are not paid.
Sources
- Werner Enterprises Form 10-Q, quarter ended Sept. 30, 2026 (Note 11, Commitments and Contingencies)
- FreightWaves: Werner settlement ready to go in drivers’ lawsuit that dates to 2014 (Feb. 3, 2026)
- Land Line: Werner agrees to pay $18M settlement in wage lawsuit (Feb. 3, 2026)
- Bloomberg Law: Werner truckers seek final nod for $18 million deal in wage case (June 12, 2026)
