An employee of a Jefferson County plant has filed a class action lawsuit against his employer for not providing its employees with a proper 60-day notice regarding a mass layoff.
Claiming violations of the Worker Adjustment and Retraining (WARN) Act, Ronald Glenn Snook filed suit against Heico Companies, Heico Holding Inc. and Conex International on Feb. 21 in the Eastern District of Texas, Beaumont Division.
The WARN Act is a U.S. labor law which protects employees by requiring most employers with 100 or more employees to provide 60 calendar-day advance notification of plant closings and mass layoffs of employees. It became law in August 1988 and took effect in 1989.
The mass layoff occurred on Feb. 18 at the Conex Jefferson County facility. According to court documents, at least 50 employees were terminated without a proper 60-day notice required under the WARN Act.
According to the company website, Beaumont-based Conex International is a general mechanical contracting and industrial services firm providing plant turnarounds and shutdowns, new construction, tower & vessel services, heat exchanger services, maintenance, planning, scheduling and management services to customers in the refining, petrochemical and other process industries. It has been in business since 1985.
"Defendant failed to pay Plaintiffs their respective wages, salary, commissions, bonuses, accrued holiday pay and accrued vacation for 60 days following the notice of their respective terminations, and failed to make the pension and 401(k) contributions and provide employment benefits under ERISA, other than health insurance, for 60 days following the notice" of layoffs, the court documents state.
The plaintiff is seeking damages for back pay and benefits, any other unpaid wages, interest, attorney's fees, penalties, interest and court costs.
Snook is represented by B. Adam Terrell of Weller, Green, Toups & Terrell in Beaumont.
A jury trial is requested.
Case No. 1:11-cv-00091