A former employee has taken legal action against her previous employer, alleging significant violations of labor laws. Magaly Ramirez filed a complaint on June 18, 2024, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois against Doctors Laundry Service, Inc. and its owner, Joseph Fagiano.
Ramirez claims that during her employment with Doctors Laundry Service from December 22, 2017, to May 3, 2023, she was consistently denied overtime pay despite working an average of 60 hours per week in 2021. According to the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), employees are entitled to receive one and a half times their regular rate for any hours worked beyond the standard 40-hour workweek. Ramirez's hourly wage was $14, but she asserts that she was not compensated accordingly for her overtime hours.
The complaint details how Fagiano had complete control over hiring and firing decisions, work schedules, and payment methods at Doctors Laundry Service. Despite these responsibilities, he allegedly failed to maintain proper time records or pay Ramirez the required overtime wages. The lawsuit accuses both Doctors Laundry Service and Fagiano of willfully violating the FLSA by not compensating Ramirez for her extra hours worked.
In addition to federal claims under the FLSA, Ramirez is also pursuing state law claims under the Illinois Minimum Wage Law (IMWL). She argues that Defendants' actions violated state regulations mandating overtime pay for hours worked beyond 40 in a week. The IMWL provides for treble damages and additional penalties for unpaid wages.
Ramirez seeks several forms of relief from the court: unpaid overtime wages amounting to $4,060; liquidated damages equal to this amount; statutory damages including treble damages and monthly interest; reasonable attorneys’ fees and costs; and declarations that Defendants violated both federal and state labor laws.
Representing Ramirez are attorneys Daniel I. Schlade and James R. Mata from Justicia Laboral LLC. The case is identified as Case No. 24-cv-5070 in front of Judge [Name].