Whether you're an hourly worker or earning a six-figure salary, we all expect to be compensated for the work we do. It is a right guaranteed by law.
But that's not the case for several former DuPage County employees, who say they haven't been paid and had their health insurance terminated without notice from their employers.
Former employees approached NBC 5 Responds for help after seeing an NBC 5 Responds investigative report about trouble at one of their employer's companies earlier this year.
This investigation had many twists and turns. We first began investigating Springrock Gutters after a customer told us that the company did not install gutters despite receiving a deposit of several thousand dollars. The problem turns out to be deeper, and a federal agency is currently investigating.
In January, our initial investigation into Spring Rock Gutters caused John Snowden to roll out of bed and start a frenzied group chat with his former colleagues.
“I was laying in bed getting ready to go to bed, and I heard 'Springlock Gutters,' so I kind of sat up, looked at my wife, and said, 'What?'” 101 Digital said. said employee Snowden. Sister company of Springrock Gutters.
He wasn't the only one.
James Goggin, also a former 101 Digital employee, said: “We all had a few choice words. It's nice to be like, 'Hey, we're not the only ones going through this.' “It was,” he said.
Mr Goggins, Mr Snowden and colleague Benjamin Evert are all former employees of 101 Digital, a sister company of Springrock Gutters, doing business as Sunny Direct.
Both companies were acquired within the past few years by business owner Anita Reinke. It was under her ownership that their paychecks regularly arrived late last year, she said. In some cases, they received wire transfers instead of direct deposits, or were not paid at all.
“It was scary at first. On Thursday evening and Friday morning, the money I said I was supposed to have in my bank account wasn't there,” Snowden said.
“It’s just… how do you make your mortgage payments,” Goggin said.
The men said Reinke had not yet paid them at least two weeks' worth of wages.
Their health insurance is also missing.
Even though premiums were deducted from their paychecks, employees who worked every other month said they found their health insurance was terminated without notice between May and November of last year.
In a January NBC 5 Responds investigation into another of Reinke's companies, Springlock Gutters, company employees made similar claims. Spring Rock employees told NBC 5 Responds they haven't been paid and were not informed that Reinke cut off their health insurance last year.
Mr. Goggin noticed this when he was in the doctor's office.
“One of the nurses came up to me and said, 'Hey, your insurance is invalid. I was like, 'What, what do you mean? … It's from my job, it's coming out of my paycheck. 'And they were like, 'No, that's no longer valid,''' said Goggin, who later received a large bill for that visit.
“I'm angry about that. I mean, it's deceptive. It… could ruin someone's life,” Evert said.
Several former employers told us that their W-2 forms were incorrect as a result of wire transfers they received from their companies. They said taxes were not deducted, along with insurance premiums and 401(k) contributions.
Reinke acknowledged in January that he was working to have SpringRock employees reimbursed for these health insurance premiums. She also said she would pay back wages to her employees. She did not reveal her schedule.
“That could very well be considered theft,” said Juanita Rodriguez, employment lawyer and founding partner of JBR Law Group. She said Mr. Rodriguez is not representing anyone in this case, but the allegations against Mr. Reinke are concerning.
“There seem to be easily a few civil offenses here, but to the extent that it seems to be pervasive and very intentional, there could be criminal offenses as well,” Rodriguez said. said.
The Department of Labor confirmed to NBC 5 Responds that it is investigating pay complaints from several of Reinke's former employees.
“She cut the checks, she signed the checks, and if they don't get paid, it's her fault,” Evert said.
Mr. Reinke is also facing intense scrutiny in court.
NBC 5 reviewed court records for answers and found that Reinke and her company have been sued at least 15 times since last October for breach of contract and nonpayment. A judge recently issued an eviction order to Reinke's Sunny Direct/101 Digital offices in Naperville.
Five lawsuits are still ongoing, three have been dismissed, and seven have ordered Reinke to pay up to nearly $2.2 million to various banks, companies, and vendors.
“Deep down I knew I couldn't work for those people. I didn't trust them,” Evert said.
By the end of last year, Mr. Snowden, Mr. Evert and Mr. Goggin had had enough and left the company.
“I want to be paid for the work I do, and then I can just leave it and walk away,” Goggin said.
“I hope this doesn't happen to anyone else,” Evert said.
NBC 5 Responds has given Reinke many opportunities to speak on camera. She responded to our messages, but she didn't answer any of our questions.
Here are some important points
- In Illinois, employers are required by law to provide access to pay stubs.
- You can take your employer to court over unpaid wages, and under Illinois law, if you win, you are entitled to attorney's fees.
- Finally, if the Department of Labor finds a favorable outcome in the worker's favor, the worker who is behind on wages could potentially receive up to three times the amount owed.
