A New York man who says he was Donald Trump’s personal driver for more than 20 years is suing the US President’s company, claiming he is owed thousands of hours of overtime pay.

Noel Cintron said the Trump Organisation had not paid him for 3300 hours of overtime in the past six years, the most he can sue for because of a statute of limitations, and has not given him a “meaningful” raise for 12 years.

“In an utterly callous display of unwarranted privilege and entitlement and without even a minimal sense of noblesse oblige President Donald Trump has, through the defendant entities, exploited and denied significant wages to his own longstanding personal driver,” the complaint said on Tuesday morning (Australian time).

Mr Cintron is seeking unspecified damages, including punitive damages and other sums for alleged violations of federal and state labour laws.

He said the 3300 hours of overtime alone was worth more than $US178,000 ($238,484), at a rate of $US54.09 ($72.49) per hour.

“Mr Cintron was at all times paid generously and in accordance with the law,” Trump Organization spokeswoman Amanda Miller said in a statement.

“Once the facts come out we expect to be fully vindicated in court.”

Mr Cintron’s lawyer, Larry Hutcher, was reported by the New York Times as saying his client had not sued sooner because he had been unaware of his rights, and it was “regrettable” a lawsuit became necessary.

“It’s ironic that President Trump, who portrays himself as an advocate of the working man, doesn’t see fit to pay his own driver a fair wage,” Mr Hutcher was quoted as saying.

The lawsuit filed with the New York State Supreme Court in Manhattan adds to a long list of litigation targeting the President or his businesses.

Mr Cintron said he worked as a driver for Mr Trump, his family members and his businesses for more than a quarter century, averaging 50 to 55 hours weekly.

He said he became part of Mr Trump’s security staff after the Secret Service took over driving responsibilities in 2016.

Mr Cintron said his salary was raised to $US68,000 ($91,000) in 2006 and then to $US75,000 ($100,400) in 2010, but the latter increase required him to surrender health benefits.

He said this saved Trump $US17,866 ($24,000) in annual health insurance premiums.

Mr Cintron’s allegations echo those of other Trump employees or contractors who have sued the President or his businesses over the years claiming he has underpaid them or failed to honour promises to pay them for their work.

The claims have included mortgage brokers, landscapers and electricians who say they were underpaid on commissions or fees.

Last year, one of Mr Trump’s luxury golf resorts in Florida was ordered by an appeals court to pay more than $US32,000 ($42,000) to a supply company that claimed it wasn’t paid for paint that was used to renovate the property.

-with agencies