MD. Mahamadul Hasan has filed a complaint in federal court against Triple K Corporation, doing business as Global Security Agency, and its principal, Maria Rizallie S. Punzalan, alleging violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act.
Hasan, represented by attorney Joseph Horey, also sued the company for breach of contract, violations of the Commonwealth Employment Act, and fraudulent misrepresentation.
Hasan is seeking restitution, an undetermined amount of damages, reasonable attorney’s fees and cost of the suit.
According to the complaint, from about July 5, 2019 to about June 9, 2023, Hasan was employed by the defendants as a security guard.
“Throughout that time, plaintiff was regularly and primarily posted to guard the premises of Marianas Pacific Distributors Inc., commonly known as Marpac, a wholesaler and beverage distributor located in Gualo Rai,” the lawsuit stated.
“Defendants regularly paid plaintiff for his work at a rate of less than $7.25 per hour,” the lawsuit added.
For their failure to pay Hasan’s lawful wages, the defendants “are liable to plaintiff, pursuant to 29 U.S.C. § 216(b), in the amount of his unpaid minimum wages, his unpaid overtime compensation, an additional equal amount as liquidated damages, and reasonable attorney’s fees,” the lawsuit stated.
“Each year, from 2019 through 2023, plaintiff entered into a valid and binding verbal employment contract with defendants, in which defendants agreed to pay plaintiff at the prescribed minimum wage rate for his labor, and at 1.5 times that rate for his overtime work,” the lawsuit stated.
It added that Hasan performed all duties on his part to be performed under his contracts, but “defendants failed to pay wages to plaintiff at the rates provided in their employments contracts.”
“As a consequence of defendants’ breach of their employment contracts with plaintiff, defendants are liable to plaintiff for contract damages pursuant to CNMI common law,” the lawsuit stated.
Hasan also alleges that the defendants collected fees from him in the total amount of $3,300, “upon the representation that they would use the funds to apply for and renew a CW-1 visa for him.”
“Defendants’ representations were knowingly false when made, and were made for the purpose of deceiving plaintiff and enriching defendants at plaintiff’s expense. Plaintiff reasonably relied on defendants’ misrepresentations to his detriment. As a consequence of the foregoing, plaintiff is entitled to damages from defendant for fraudulent misrepresentation,” the lawsuit stated.
Variety was unable to get a comment from the defendants.
