class-action

Right now, millions of Christmas presents are zooming around the country in FedEx trucks -- driven, one might think, by FedEx employees. However, it turns out the employment status of those drivers depends on which state they are working in, and according to a judicial ruling issued Tuesday, most are independent contractors.

A Boston-based law firm announced a lawsuit Friday against the Securities and Exchange Commission on behalf of investors conned by Bernie Madoff. The suit brought by Kacheroo Legal Services seeks class-action status, and if it goes forward, it will be the first such suit ever.