Justice at Work to receive portion of wage settlement from unclaimed checks
Attorney Paul Holtzman
(BOSTON, MA) – Following a $120,000 settlement won by Boston-based law firm Krokidas & Bluestein on behalf of country club banquet workers, Justice at Work will receive a donation of over $3,200. The charitable gift is a “cy pres” payment from unclaimed funds from the March 2017 settlement, and will support the organization in providing strategic workplace-related legal services to community-based worker centers and low-wage immigrant workers.
The settlement stemmed from a case alleging that waiters, bartenders and bussers had not received the full sum of tips and service charges which they were owed for work at the country club. In May 2017, checks were mailed to the class members. When 14 checks remained uncashed on August 13 (90 days following their issuance), the collective value of those uncashed checks was approved to be paid to Justice at Work rather than to be reimbursed to the defendants.
“Protecting the rights of hardworking service employees in the hospitality sector is important work best accomplished by combining multiple claims into a class action lawsuit,” said Paul Holtzman, the Krokidas & Bluestein partner who won the initial settlement and secured court approval for the cy pres donation to Justice at Work. “Fortunately, this settlement ensures that every penny won for the workers goes towards continuing to advocate for those most at risk of having their rights violated.”
“Wage theft is rampant in Massachusetts and low-wage and immigrant workers bear the brunt of it. Justice at Work is privileged to partner with immigrant worker centers, who have the trust and confidence of workers experiencing abuses on the job,” said Thomas Smith, the Executive Director of Justice at Work, a nonprofit that provides strategic legal resources to low-wage worker organizations and their members. “We are also proud to partner with legal aid and private attorneys in their efforts to protect workers’ rights. It’s an honor to receive this cy pres award because of Krokidas & Bluestein’s efforts and we look forward to using it to support the organizations and people on the frontlines of the fight for dignity and justice at work.”
State law mandates that service staff at hotels, resorts, spas, country clubs and catering companies receive all services charges and gratuities collected by their employer. The practice of failing to pay the workers the funds they are owed appears to be widespread.
“Unfortunately, withheld wages is an all-too-prevalent issue faced by this labor force, and so we are delighted that we have been able to recover the money owed to class members and support future just treatment of low-wage immigrant workers,” said Attorney Holtzman.
Attorney Holtzman can be reached at (617) 482-7211 or pholtzman@kb-law.com.
About Krokidas & Bluestein
Krokidas & Bluestein provides legal services in the areas of nonprofit and for-profit, civil litigation, corporate law, health and human services law, real estate development and finance, property management, labor and employment law, public law and education law.
