Jenkins v. Illinois Emergency Relief Commission

10 Ill. Ct. Cl. 811, 1938 Ill. Ct. Cl. LEXIS 93
CourtCourt of Claims of Illinois
DecidedJanuary 12, 1938
StatusPublished

This text of 10 Ill. Ct. Cl. 811 (Jenkins v. Illinois Emergency Relief Commission) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Claims of Illinois primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Jenkins v. Illinois Emergency Relief Commission, 10 Ill. Ct. Cl. 811, 1938 Ill. Ct. Cl. LEXIS 93 (Ill. Super. Ct. 1938).

Opinion

Mr. Justice Linscott

delivered the opinion of the court:

On November 20, 1934, claimants filed their claim against the State of Illinois under the Workmen’s Compensation Act claiming the sum of Forty-eight Hundred Dollars ($4,800.00) alleged to be due on account of the death of the hnsband and father, Frank Jenkins, which claim was known as No. 2541. Evidence was taken under this claim, briefs and arguments were filed by counsel for both sides, and thereafter, this court filed an opinion denying an award for compensation on the ground that the facts shown in the record were just as pertinent to show that Jenkins was an independent contractor as do prove that he was an employee, and for the reason that claimants did not show that Jenkins was an employee of the respondent, an award was denied.

A petition for rehearing was filed by claimants and on June 10, 1937, an order was entered in this court granting the petition and re-opening the case for further evidence.

On August 13,1937, a transcript of this new evidence was filed in accordance with the rules of this court.

It appears from the evidence that on the 18th day of October, 1934, Frank Jenkins died as a result of injuries sustained on that day while he was employed as a trucker for the Williamson County Emergency Belief Committee, which was under the direct supervision and control of the Illinois Emergency Belief Commission.

During the year 1934, the State of Illinois, through one of its agencies, the Illinois Belief Commission, operated a central food depot located in the Goddard Building in the City of Marion, Williamson County, Illinois. This commission was dispensing* food and other necessaries of life to the poor of Williamson County. The prosecution of this work required the transportation of surplus food supplies from railroads to the central food depot in Marion,- — -their storage warehouse — and from there a distribution was had to the relief clients throughout the county. The central commodity deposit was a three story and basement brick building, approximately 60 feet wide by 100 feet long, and between 75 and 1.00 men worked at the warehouse at different times, and the record shows that in the handling of the storage and distribution of these surplus commodities, trucks were used. The Commission did not own the trucks, but hired at least four men to carry out such trucking operations as were necessary. The deceased was one of those so employed: He furnished his own truck, receiving for the work done by him, checks averaging from $200.00 to $300.00 monthly from the State of Illinois. These checks were based upon the amount and kind of work he performed, payment for certain kinds of hauling being on a weight and mileage basis, payment for other kinds of hauling on a trip basis, while still other hauling was paid upon an hourly basis. Witnesses estimated his average annual income from the state for this work at $3,500.00. The respondent offered no evidence in denial of the earnings of the deceased.

Under the prevailing rates, one-half of the payment was for the use of the truck, and one-half for the services of the driver.

On the morning of October 18, 1934, Frank Jenkins and other employees of the Illinois Emergency Relief Commission were unloading his truck at the central food depot. A son of Jenkins was also employed in this work and worked along with his father. He got upon the truck to move it, and when he released the brake, the truck rolled backward, crushing Frank Jenkins betwéen the truck body and the wall of the building and injuring him so severely that he died twelve hours later.

The deceased was survived by Pearl Jenkins, his wife, the adult son, John, and the two minor sons, Frank Weaver Jenkins, age 13 and Billy Jean Jenkins, age 8.

The. additional evidence heard was upon the question of the degree of control exercised by the Illinois Emergency Relief Commission over Jenkins’ activities in the trucking done by him.

At the time Jenkins received his injury and for a considerable time prior thereto, this warehouse or food depot was in charge of a Depot Superintendent, George Morris. Morris testified that he was superintendent and boss over the truck, and that he told the drivers what they should do, and how they should do it and when they should do it, and this was true with reference to Frank Jenkins. Morris testified that he required the drivers to assist in loading and unloading the trucks at- the food depot, and that the drivers did what he told them to do. There were various .doors at the food depot at which trucks could be loaded and unloaded, and drivers were required to load or unload at the particular door which Morris directed. When Jenkins’ services were needed, Morris would notify him, usually the day before, and would advise him at what time he should report, and Jenkins would report at the appointed time. Occasionally several car loads were standing on side tracks, waiting to be unloaded, and Jenkins would unload these cars under the direction of Morris, and when commodities were loaded onto Jenkins’ truck for distribution throughout the county, Morris directed how this work should be done, in detail as to each delivery, and he would take what really amounted to a receipt in triplicate for deliveries, and he was instructed that commodities for which orders were not signed must be returned to the food depot. Jenkins was not permitted to engage in hauling for others or obtaining private employment when he was making distribution of commodities. Distribution was made from Marion to smaller towns in that county, and in doing this, he was instructed as to the order in which distribution to these towns should be made, the time he should arrive at and how long he should remain in the various towns on the itinerary, and he followed these'instructions.

On the morning of October 18, 1934, Jenkins reported for work with a low stake body on his truck. Morris objected and Jenkins returned home for longer stakes and placed them in position on his truck before proceeding on the job which resulted in his death.

It has been repeatedly held that where the person for whom service is rendered retains the right to control the details of the work and the method or manner of its performance, the relation of employer and employee exists. It has also been held that when the party for whom trucking is performed controls the loading and unloading of the truck, the destinations of the loads, the manner of handling the loads at such destinations, the kind and quantity of material hauled, the distances travelled by the truck, the amount of pay received for the loads, the hours of employment, the time at which various deliveries shall be made and various trucking operations performed, and the manner in which the truck shall be equipped, the trudker is an employee and not an independent contractor. VanWatermullen vs. Ind. Com., 343 Ill. 73.

The fact that Jenkins owned his own truck is not inconsistent with an employee relationship, and the fact that he was paid for a part of his work on a weight and mileage basis does not make him an independent contractor.

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Related

VanWatermeullen v. Industrial Commission
174 N.E. 846 (Illinois Supreme Court, 1931)

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Bluebook (online)
10 Ill. Ct. Cl. 811, 1938 Ill. Ct. Cl. LEXIS 93, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/jenkins-v-illinois-emergency-relief-commission-ilclaimsct-1938.