Attorney General Matt Plotkin is taking on one of the world's largest companies, suing Amazon over allegations that it illegally misclassified thousands of Flex delivery drivers.

The lawsuit filed in Essex County Court by both the Attorney General's office and the Department of Labor claims the online retail giant wrongly labeled the drivers as independent contractors instead of employees, allowing the company to skip paying taxes, unemployment and disability benefits.

State officials say drivers are covering their own costs, gas, tolls and maintenance while working long hours without overtime or sick leave.

Amazon is pushing back, saying the lawsuit is "wrong on the facts and the law" and defending its Flex program as a part-time, flexible opportunity its drivers choose.

The case comes amid a broader crackdown on worker misclassification in the state and could affect other gig economy giants like Uber, Lyft and DoorDash.

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