Ridesharing service Lyft Inc. and courier service Postmates Inc. are among the first companies to be sued for improperly treating workers in California as independent contractors following a recent decision that makes it easier for workers to prove that they are employees entitled to costly legal protections.

On Wednesday, the companies were hit with separate lawsuits in California state court accusing them of misclassifying workers as contractors rather than employees to save money.

The San Francisco-based companies did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Companies must pay taxes and contribute to unemployment and workers’ compensation funds on behalf of employees, pay the minimum wage and overtime as well as covering work-related expenses. Contractors can cost up to 30 percent less, according to several studies.

So-called gig economy companies rely heavily on independent contractors to provide services to customers, and many have faced similar lawsuits in the past.

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