INKSTOP EMPLOYEES FILE SUIT FOR UNPAID WAGES

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Date: Tuesday October 6, 2009 11:38:23 am
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    http://www.cleveland.com/business/index.ssf/2009/10/inkstop_employees_are_suing_th.html
    INKSTOP EMPLOYEES FILE SUIT FOR UNPAID WAGES !
    WARRENSVILLE
    HEIGHTS, Ohio — Employees of InkStop Inc., the ink and toner retailer
    that on Friday abruptly locked its doors and laid off all 500-some
    workers, have filed suit against the company and its owners for unpaid
    wages and benefits.”They’re all very, very frustrated and upset about
    this,” said attorney Anthony Lazzaro of the Lazzaro Law Firm LLC, which
    is representing the group. “There’s a lot of folks who aren’t going to
    be able to pay their mortgage, make their rent payments and their car
    payments.”

    About 40 employees have already signed on to
    participate in the lawsuit, and hundreds more have called asking how to
    join, he said. More than 155 have joined a Facebook group called
    “InkStop employees for back wages” to share grievances.”This is an
    egregious example of wage theft,” said attorney Jason Bristol of Cohen
    Rosenthal & Kramer LLP, which is working with Lazzaro on the
    case.”The wages weren’t paid, the health premiums weren’t paid, and we
    are continuing to investigate other claims that employees might have.”
    InkStop closes all stores

    Inkstop letter to employees (PDF)..email me @ jim@wantedsurplustoner.com & i’ll forward the letter

    Phone
    calls to the owners, Dirk and Dawn Kettlewell, and to the company’s
    Warrensville Heights headquarters went into voicemail. Dirk
    Kettlewell’s cell phone is not accepting new messages because his
    mailbox is full.

    InkStop, a Warrensville Heights chain of 162
    stores that specialized in ink, toner, consumer electronics and other
    office supplies, faxed and e-mailed a letter to workers around 10 p.m.
    Thursday telling them the stores were closed and that all workers were
    laid off until further notice.The letter from the company’s Board of
    Directors said workers would not receive their final paychecks and that
    medical coverage and other insurance had been paid only through Aug.
    31. It tells workers with funds in the company’s 401(k) plan to call
    Noble-Davis Consulting Inc. of Solon.”We are working on a plan to
    improve our cash flow situation and reopen under better circumstances,”
    the letter said.”Your patience during this difficult time is
    appreciated,” it concluded.Labor and employment lawyer Avery Friedman,
    who is not connected to the case, said that if InkStop took its
    employees’ health care contributions and used them for other purposes,
    that could have serious legal implications.

    Moreover, if InkStop
    were planning to reopen, why would it tell its employees to call about
    their 401(k) retirement accounts, he asked.”At the very least, they
    have a moral obligation” to do the right thing, he said.Bristol said
    the fact that the owners were generous to the community, including
    contributing to build InkStop Field at Aurora High School last summer,
    makes the way they’re treating their employees even more
    appalling.”This is an utter disaster for these people,” he said.

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