Ex-IPI workers seek over $1M default judgment vs. former employer | Local News

A group of former Imperial Pacific International (CNMI) LLC workers who are suing their former employer for breach of contract over unpaid benefits have filed a motion for default judgment against the casino investor.

Former IPI construction workers Özcan Genç, Hasan Gökçe, and Süleyman Kös—on behalf of other Turkish workers of IPI—through lawyer Richard Miller, have filed a second motion for entry of default judgment against the casino investor pursuant to breach of its contract claim in the US District Court for the NMI.

The alleged breach stems from IPI’s alleged failure to provide the workers the benefits they were promised under their employment contract.

As relief, the plaintiffs are asking the court to grant them a default judgment amounting $1,075,658.23 for unpaid benefits they were promised in their contract.

Specifically, plaintiffs claim that IPI failed to pay their health insurance premiums.

“Medical and dental insurance premiums were deducted from plaintiffs’ paychecks, but IPI failed to pay premiums to the insurer, TakeCare, and coverage was denied. The total of premiums paid is $18,987.83,” states the motion.

The plaintiffs also claim that IPI failed to provide them Turkish meals as stated in their contract.

“Because IPI never provided a Turkish kitchen and Turkish meals, as promised, workers spent an average of $40 a day to buy their own food and prepare Turkish meals themselves in their dormitories. Requested damages are $869,120,” said the motion.

The former IPI workers are also seeking compensation for the airfare they were promised that should have allowed them to visit their home country.

“Workers completed six months’ work at IPI [and] were promised roundtrip airfare for a home visit to Turkey plus six days’ paid leave. This benefit was not provided. Although plaintiffs assert that the true value of this benefit was more than $2,000 per ticket, damages have previously been stipulated to be $1,500 per ticket. The requested damages are $127,500 for 85 workers,” said the motion.

The plaintiffs also allege that they were not given the paid leave they were promised.

“Workers were promised that if they worked for six months, they would earn six days paid leave. A total of 85 workers completed at least six months’ work (13 biweekly pay periods). These workers are owed a total of $39,050.40,” said the motion.

Lastly, the workers want damages for the repatriation cost as required under the contract they signed with IPI.

“Twelve of the class members would like to request compensation for repatriation airfare and daily subsistence. The undersigned is given to understand that, previously, IPI offered to pay for repatriation airfare of all the class members and did pay for such airfare for most of those who returned to Turkey,” said the motion.

The court has set a hearing on the matter for April 25, at 10am before US District Court for the NMI Chief Judge Ramona V. Manglona.