Legal Proceedings
Catholic Migration Services provide free legal advice and representation to help workers learn and enforce their workplace rights. Many workplace disputes can be resolved without the need for formal legal proceedings, but when formal proceedings become necessary, we represent workers in state and federal courts, as well as in government investigations. Our attorneys represent workers in proceedings at the New York State Department of Labor, the New York State Division of Human Rights, the New York City Commission on Human Rights, the New York City Department of Consumer and Worker Protection, the U.S. Department of Labor, the National Labor Relations Board and other government agencies.
Read About Our Cases Below:
Maria Garcia-Aguirre, et al. v. Mohanna Harfouche and Supreme Bagels & Coffee, Inc. d/b/a Bagel Supreme
In an action before the Eastern District of New York, Catholic Migration Services and Kakalec Law PLLC represent two workers who were drastically underpaid for many years while employed by defendants Mohanna Harfouche and Bagel Supreme in south Brooklyn. Throughout our clients’ combined tenure of 28 years, defendants did not pay our clients the appropriate minimum wage, any overtime, or any spread-of-hours wages, while our clients worked up to 72 hours each week.
Santiago Vazquez, et al. v. 142 Knickerbocker Enterprise Corp. d/b/a Wow Car Wash, et al.
Catholic Migration Services, together with co-counsel Main Street Legal Services (affiliated with CUNY School of Law), represents four former employees of a Brooklyn car wash. The complaint alleges, among other things, that the car wash violated federal and state minimum wage, overtime and spread of hours laws, as well as the unlawful retention of the employees’ gratuities. The Plaintiffs won a motion for partial summary judgment against the car wash, and are awaiting the Court’s decision on the remainder of the issues, following a four-day bench trial in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York in October and November 2022.
Octaviano Vazquez v. Bismillah USA Inc. d/b/a Alachi Masala, Amin Mehedi and Abdul Sahid
Catholic Migration Services, together with co-counsel the Law Office of Robert McCreanor PLLC, represents a former employee of an Upper West Side Indian restaurant. The complaint alleges egregious violations of federal and state minimum wage and overtime laws occurring over many years resulting in more than $175,000 in damages.
Jose Granada, et al. v. Kapos Auto Inc., Marius Caldaras and Marcel Caldaras
Catholic Migration Services, together with co-counsel Kakalec Law PLLC, represents two former employees of a Ridgewood, Queens used car dealership. The Complaint, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York, alleges that the car dealership and its owners violated federal and state minimum wage and overtime laws, and also created fake payroll records to cover up their violations.
Shi, et al. v. Ajisai Japanese Fusion Inc., et al.
Catholic Migration Services represents five former employees of Ajisai Restaurant, an Upper East Side Japanese Restaurant. We obtained a judgment in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York against the restaurant and the two individuals who ran it – Chi Kan Lam and Xiu Xiang Yao – for more than $700,000 in damages due to minimum wage and overtime violations.
Perez, et al. V. Standup 236 LLC, et al.
Catholic Migration Services, together with co-counsel Fisher Taubenfeld LLP, represents two former employees of Standup NY, a comedy club located on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. The Complaint, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, alleges violations of state and federal minimum wage and overtime laws, as well as illegal deductions from wages, resulting in over $300,000 in damages.