{"id":402511,"date":"2023-12-22T14:00:00","date_gmt":"2023-12-22T14:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/?p=402511"},"modified":"-0001-11-30T00:00:00","modified_gmt":"-0001-11-29T14:00:00","slug":"RNV-We-wholeheartedly-deny-the-allegations","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/RNV-We-wholeheartedly-deny-the-allegations\/","title":{"rendered":"RNV: We wholeheartedly deny the allegations"},"content":{"rendered":"

RNV Construction and affiliated companies, who are being sued by former employees over allegation that their rights under the Fair Labor Standards Act were violated, are denying the allegations against them.<\/p>\n

Recently, a lawsuit was filed against RNV Construction and its affiliates Best Deal Merchandise, Coreplus Construction, and Ruel Villacrusis over allegations that their employees were not being paid according to U.S prevailing wage determinations and overtime wages.<\/p>\n

The lawsuit was filed by former employees of the defendants: Prospero A. Armia, Nemencio Q. Deleon, Giovan Malazarte, Ian R. Alcoseba, Ranie E. Celestial, Rudy B. Naraja, and Victor P. Fraginal.<\/p>\n

In a statement from RNV construction\u2019s general manager Villacrusis, RNV denies the allegations and claims they are false.<\/p>\n

\u201cRNV Construction and its affiliates wholeheartedly deny the allegations made by a few of its former employees that it violated the Fair Labor Standard Act. We are always careful to pay the correct wage and comply with the law, what is alleged in the complaint is not true,\u201d said Villacrusis.<\/p>\n

Villacrusis claims that since RNV\u2019s inception in 1998, RNV has been paying all overtime work at the rate of time and a half of the regular rate.<\/p>\n

\u201cRNV does not delay payment of wages and never has. RNV has even been paying more than the minimum wage for many of its employees and provides benefits to all employees,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Furthermore, Villacrusis claims that the allegations come at a time when these employees are required to leave the United States pursuant to immigration laws.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe timing of the filing of the complaint is suspect. Five of the employees involved were affected by the \u2018touchback\u2019 rule of the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services, and two others were issued a Notice of Intent to Revoke by USCIS. The company provided them with tickets back to the Philippines. Six of the seven are believed to have remained on Saipan,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

In a statement from RNV\u2019s lawyer Michael Dotts, he said RNV intends to vigorously defend its case.<\/p>\n

\u201cRNV Construction is committed to its core values of treating each employee with respect and dignity and complying with all laws. RNV intends to vigorously defend the case, said Dotts.<\/p>\n

According to Saipan Tribune<\/em> archives, the plaintiffs, who were employed by the companies in question at some point dating back to 2019, allege in their suit that their employers failed to pay them the prevailing wage and overtime wages.<\/p>\n

The plaintiffs, who are demanding a jury trial, wants payment for applicable overtime compensation for all hours worked in an amount to be determined at trial.<\/p>\n

The plaintiffs also want the court to order the companies to pay them their overtime compensation for all hours worked beyond 40 hours in each work week in an amount to be determined at trial; order payment of all unpaid services, tasks, and work done for defendants; and order the defendants to pay liquidated damages, plus prejudgment interest, and attorney\u2019s fees and costs.<\/p>\n

Lastly, the plaintiffs want the imposition of sanctions and penalties against all the defendants to deter future violations.<\/p>\n

The first cause of action in this case was alleged failure to pay overtime wages in violation of the FLSA.<\/p>\n

According to the lawsuit, the defendants claimed they were never paid overtime wages and claimed their employers \u201cillegally deducted\u201d money from their pay.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

The RNV Construction building in Garapan.<\/p>\n

-KIMBERLY B. ESMORES
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