Former sales representatives filed a class-action lawsuit against Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company seeking $200 million in damages claiming they were misclassified as independent contractors and were denied minimum wage and overtime.

The lawsuit, filed Thursday, said Northwestern Mutual sets hours its representatives must work, provides them with offices and equipment, requires they maintain work records and performance quotas and prohibits them from working for other brokerage firms.

Named plaintiffs in the case are Lola Lint, of San Diego; Norma Waddell, of Escondido CA; and David Yang, of Duluth GA.

"Northwestern Mutual certainly intends to vigorously defend against this suit," said Northwestern Mutual spokesperson Jean Towell. The representatives were independent contractors and not employees, Towell said, and the company believes the suit is without merit.

A federal court in Pennsylvania dismissed a similar lawsuit early last year involving a former financial representative, Towell said.