Poker companies sued for illegal termination, unpaid wages, OT

A former general manager of companies that operate 12 poker arcades and other businesses in the CNMI filed Thursday a lawsuit in federal court against his former employers for alleged unpaid wages and overtime.

Byung Joon Choi, a Korean, sued Jung A Enterprises, Soi-In Corp., Pacific Saipan LLC, and Jung Ja Kim for alleged unpaid overtime, in violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act and NMI Minimum Wage and Hour Act, breach of contract, and conversion.

Choi, through lawyer Stephen C. Woodruff, asked the U.S. District Court for the NMI to order the defendants to pay him $81,000 in overtime compensation, $53,941 in unpaid regular compensation, $37,800 in wrongful termination, and $40,000 in damages.

The defendants’ businesses include Rio Poker, Cool Laundry, Cool Market, 3K Poker, Leo1 Poker, Leo2 Poker, K3 Poker, Pala Poker, K5 Poker in Dandan, 123 BBQ Restaurant in San Antonio, Viva Poker on Tinian, Sign Arts, Rota Poker, L7 poker, Tanapag Laundry, Tanapag Mart, Tanapag Leo Poker, and Seoul Poker.

Woodruff stated in the complaint that the defendants employed Choi as a supervisor or general manager at a monthly salary of $1,800 for a 40-hour workweek plus overtime compensation.

The lawyer said that, from Feb. 2, 2005, to March 26, 2008, Choi worked 16 hours a day, seven days a week, and on-call 24 hours daily.

Defendants, according to the lawyer, failed to pay Choi overtime compensation as required by the FLSA and MWHA.

He said the defendants also failed to maintain full and accurate records of the hours Choi worked.

From Feb. 10, 2006, to Dec. 28, 2007, plaintiff was employed by the family business enterprises with a job title of supervisor with Jong A. Enterprises.

On the same day, the complaint said, plaintiff was transferred to Pacific Saipan.

On Jan. 24, 2008, Kim executed a new contract with Choi as general manager under Pacific Saipan.

Choi invested $40,000 of his money in materials and equipment for the operation of Sign Arts.

On June 28, 2008, Woodruff said, without just cause, Kim compelled plaintiff to give up his keys to the Sign Arts Shop and ordered him to stay away from the defendants’ property.

When Choi subsequently tried to recover some of his property from the Sign Arts, Kim allegedly prevented him.