Two separate class action lawsuits have been filed on behalf of employees of U.S. Remodelers, Inc. who install kitchen cabinets that are purchased in Home Depots across the country.
The first lawsuit, Ozga v. U.S. Remodelers, Inc., was filed on Tuesday, February 17, 2009 in the Superior Court of California, Alameda County, on behalf of all installer employees of U.S. Remodelers, Inc. who worked in California during the past four years. The lawsuit alleges that U.S. Remodelers, Inc., who also does business in California as U.S. Home Services, violated California state wage and hour laws requiring employees to be paid for all of their time spent working, and further alleges that U.S. Remodelers maintains policies: 1) of requiring its employee installers to attend weekly meetings, load equipment and materials, and travel to and from work sites to the warehouse without being compensated for these activities; and 2) of not providing meal and rest breaks to its employee installers.
The second lawsuit, Coluccio v. U.S. Remodelers, Inc., which contains similar allegations, was filed on Tuesday, February 24, 2009 in the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey, in Camden, New Jersey, and alleges on behalf of installer employees of U.S. Remodelers, Inc. in every state except California that U.S. Remodelers violated the federal Fair Labor Standards Act by requiring its installer employees to routinely work more than 40 hours per week without receiving the legally mandated overtime pay. This lawsuit also alleges class action claims under the New Jersey Wage and Hour Law on behalf of all installer employees who worked in New Jersey.
All current and former installer employees of U.S. Remodelers, Inc. and U.S. Home Services who worked in California during the past 4 years are covered by the California case. All current and former installer employees of U.S. Remodelers in all states other than California are covered by the second case filed in federal court in New Jersey.
