A worker claims managers of the Typhoon! restaurant chain abusedimmigrant workers, confiscated their passports, denied them overtimeand medical care, threatened to deport them if they complained, openedtheir mail, stole their tax returns, forced them "to kowtow to theowners and purchase presents for them," and claimed to have "paid offthe Department of Homeland Security to do whatever defendants want."
SarinyaReabroy sued the nine-restaurant chain and its managers, Steve Klineand Bo Kline, in Federal Court. She says that in 2003, Bo Kline inducedher to emigrate from Thailand, where she had a good job. Upon arrivingin Portland, she says, she and her co-workers were subjected tointolerable and illegal conditions.
She claims "Typhoon! ruledthe workplace with iron fists of intimidation, coercion and harassment,targeting their Thai workers" with the abuses mentioned above, andthese abuses:
subjecting them to dangerous working conditions;
"tellingThai workers that defendant Bo Kline was 'Queen of immigration' andthat defendants have paid off the Department of Homeland Security to dowhatever defendants want;"
threatening to sue them and their families if they complained;
forbidding Thai workers to talk with "white people;"
"intentionallydeceiving Thai workers about the overtime investigation conducted bythe United States Department of Labor in 2004-2004 and the subsequentpayment by Typhoon! of $120,000 to settle the matter;"
"threatening to blacklist Thai workers for all employers both within the United States and abroad;"
"forbiddinginjured Thai workers from seeing or treating with health careprofessionals and/or refusing them access to first aid;"
"throwing dishes, utensils and food at them and propositioning them for sex;"
"displaying beheaded and dismembered Buddhas in a manner offensive to Thai workers who were of the Buddhist faith;"
"forcing the Thai workers to kowtow to the owners and purchase presents for them;"
"confiscating Thai workers' tax returns;"
and in other ways.She wants punitive damages and statutory and liquidated damages. She is represented by Beth Creighton |
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