THE U.S. Social Security Administration will look into the complaint of a former Imperial Pacific International employee who believes that IPI did not remit the Social Security contributions deducted from his paychecks.
The matter was brought to the attention of the Commonwealth Casino Commission last week. Commissioner Ramon M. Dela Cruz asked Commission Executive Director Andrew Yeom to “enlighten us” about the allegation.
Commission Chairman Edward C. Deleon Guerrero, who attended the meeting via videoconference, said he expects IPI to act promptly on the complaint because each day of delay is a violation of the casino regulation and the license agreement, on top of violating federal law.
Yeom said the matter was being investigated, and that the commission could hold a closed-door meeting with IPI so it could provide more details.
Yeom added that until all details are gathered, “it is kind of premature to open the matter to the public.”
He said as soon as he obtains all the relevant facts, he will report to the commissioners.
Former IPI Chief Executive Officer Ray Yumul, in an interview, said, “I did receive an email from a concerned former employee.” He did not name the employee, but Variety learned from other sources that the complainant used to work on IPI’s electronic gaming machines.
Yumul said he received a response from U.S. Social Security staff member, Bridget Camacho, who told him that “any current or former employee who may have concerns about their wage withholdings not being remitted may simply need to provide a photocopy of their W-2 for the affected period and a copy of their driver’s license.”
The affected employee, Camacho said, can place the documents in a sealed envelope and drop it at the local Social Security office at the Marina Heights II building in Puerto Rico.
