warn suit
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IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
FOR THE DISTRICT OF DELAWARE
FELICE MARTIN, on behalf of herself and allothers similarly situated,
Plaintiff,
v.
ZIRTUAL INC.,
Defendant.
CASE NO.
CLASS ACTION COMPLAINT FOR
VIOLATION OF WARN ACT, 29 U.S.C. 2101, ET SEQ.
Plaintiff Felice Martin (Plaintiff) alleges on behalf of herself and a class of similarly
situated former employees of Zirtual Inc. (Zirtual or the Defendant), by and through her
counsel as follows:
NATURE OF THE ACTION
1. Plaintiff Felice Martin was an employee of Zirtual until her termination on or
about August 10, 2015.
2.
While Plaintiff did not receive any written notice of her termination, on August
10, 2015, other employees of Zirtual received e-mails sent to their personal e-mail accounts
stating that they were terminated effective August 7, 2015.
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3. Defendant terminated without notice the employment of approximately 400 or so
employees who either worked remotely and received assignments from and reported to its
facilities, or worked at or reported to its headquarters located at 150 N. Las Vegas Boulevard,
#2304, Las Vegas, Nevada 89101 (Las Vegas Office)and/or at its office at 370 Brannan Street
San Francisco, California 94107 (San Francisco Office).
4. The Plaintiff brings this action on behalf of herself, and other similarly situated
former employees who worked at, reported to, or received assignments from Defendants
Facilities and were terminated without cause, as part of, or as the foreseeable result of, plant
closings or mass layoffs ordered by Defendant and who were not provided 60 days advance
written notice of their terminations by Defendant, as required by the Worker Adjustment and
Retraining Notification Act (WARN Act), 29 U.S.C. 2101 et seq.
5. Plaintiff and all similarly situated employees seek to recover 60 days wages and
benefits, pursuant to the WARN Act, from Defendant.
JURISDICTION AND VENUE
6.
This Court has jurisdiction over this matter pursuant to 28 U.S.C. 1331 and 29
U.S.C. 2104(a)(5).
7. This court has personal jurisdiction over Zirtual because it is incorporated in this
judicial district, and therefore, resides here.
8. Venue is proper in this District pursuant to 29 U.S.C. 2104(a)(5)and 28 U.S.C.
1391 because this is the judicial district in which Zirtual is incorporated.
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THE PARTIES
Plaintiff
9. Plaintiff Felice Martin was an employee of Zirtual, and worked as a Zirtual
Assistantfrom her home in Sherman Oaks, California until her termination on or about August
7, 2015. Upon information and belief, Ms. Martinsassignments ultimately originated from and
she ultimately reported to Zirtuals San Francisco Office or its Las Vegas Office.
Defendant
10. Defendant Zirtual, Inc. is a Delaware corporation with its principal place of
business located at 150 N. Las Vegas Boulevard, #2304, Las Vegas, NV 89101
11. Upon information and belief, at all relevant times, Defendant maintained and
operated its business from its Las Vegas Office facility and maintained and operated an
additional facility, its San Francisco Office. (The Las Vegas Office and San Francisco Office are
referred to as the Facilities.)
12. Upon information and belief, Defendant conducted or transacted business in this
district.
13. On or about August 7, 2015, Defendant terminated without notice the
employment of approximately 400 employees who worked at, reported to, or received
assignments from its Facilities.
WARN CLASS ALLEGATIONS, 29 U.S.C. 2104
14. Plaintiff brings the First Claim for Relief for violation of 29 U.S.C. 2101 et seq.,
on behalf of herself and on behalf of all other similarly situated former employees, pursuant to
29 U.S.C. 2104(a)(5) and Fed. R. Civ P. 23(a), who worked at, reported to, or received
assignments from one of Defendants Facilities and were terminated without cause on or about
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August 7, 2015, and within 30 days of that date, or were terminated without cause as the
reasonably foreseeable consequence of the mass layoffs and/or plant closings ordered by
Defendant on or about August 7, 2015, and who are affected employees, within the meaning of
29 U.S.C. 2101(a)(5) (the WARN Class).
15. The persons in the WARN Class identified above (WARN Class Members) are
so numerous that joinder of all members is impracticable. Although the precise number of such
persons is unknown, the facts on which the calculation of that number can be based are presently
within the sole control of Defendant.
16.
Upon information and belief, Defendant employed approximately 400 employees
nationwide, including more than fifty (50) full-time employees who worked at, reported to, or
received assignments from one of the Facilities who it terminated on or about August 7, 2015.
17. On information and belief, the identity of the members of the class and the recent
residence address of each of the WARN Class Members is contained in the books and records of
Defendant.
18.
On information and belief, the rate of pay and benefits that were being paid by
Defendant to each WARN Class Member at the time of his/her termination is contained in the
books and records of the Defendant.
19. Common questions of law and fact exist as to members of the WARN Class,
including, but not limited to, the following:
(a) whether the members of the WARN Class were employees of the
Defendant who worked at, reported to, or received assignments from Defendants Facilities;
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(b) whether Defendant unlawfully terminated the employment of the members
of the WARN Class without cause on their part and without giving them 60 days advance written
notice in violation of the WARN Act; and
(c) whether Defendant unlawfully failed to pay the WARN Class members 60
days wages and benefits as required by the WARN Act.
20. The Plaintiffs claims are typical of those of the WARN Class. The Plaintiff, like
other WARN Class members, worked at, reported to, or received assignments from one of
Defendants Facilities and was terminated without cause on or about August 7, 2015, due to the
mass layoffs and/or plant closings ordered by Defendant.
21. The Plaintiff will fairly and adequately protect the interests of the WARN Class.
The Plaintiff has retained counsel competent and experienced in complex class actions, including
the WARN Act and employment litigation.
22. On or about August 7, 2015, Defendant terminated the Plaintiffs employment as
part of a mass layoff or a plant closing as defined by 29 U.S.C. 2101(a)(2), (3), for which she
was entitled to receive 60 days advance written notice under the WARN Act.
23. Class certification of these claims is appropriate under Fed. R. Civ. P. 23(b)(3)
because questions of law and fact common to the WARN Class predominate over any questions
affecting only individual members of the WARN Class, and because a class action is superior to
other available methods for the fair and efficient adjudication of this litigation particularly
because this is a WARN Act litigation, where individual plaintiffs may lack the financial
resources to vigorously prosecute a lawsuit in federal court against a corporate defendant, and
damages suffered by individual WARN Class members are small compared to the expense and
burden of individual prosecution of this litigation.
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24. Concentrating all the potential litigation concerning the WARN Act rights of the
members of the Class in this Court will obviate the need for unduly duplicative litigation that
might result in inconsistent judgments, will conserve the judicial resources and the resources of
the parties, and is the most efficient means of resolving the WARN Act rights of all the members
of the Class.
25. The Plaintiff intends to send notice to all members of the WARN Class to the
extent required by Rule 23.
CLAIMS FOR RELIEF
Violation of the WARN Act, 29 U.S.C. 2104
26. Plaintiff realleges and incorporates by reference all allegations in all preceding
paragraphs.
27. At all relevant times, Defendant employed more than 100 employees who in the
aggregate worked at least 4,000 hours per week, exclusive of hours of overtime, within the
United States.
28.
At all relevant times, Defendant was an employer, as that term is defined in
29 U.S.C. 2101 (a)(1) and 20 C.F.R. 639(a), andcontinued to operate as a business until it
decided to order mass layoffs or plant closings at the Facilities.
29. On or about August 7, 2015, Defendant ordered mass layoffs and/or plant closings
at the Facilities, as those terms are defined by 29 U.S.C. 2101(a)(2).
30. The mass layoffs or plant closings at the Facilities resulted in employment
losses, as that term is defined by 29 U.S.C. 2101(a)(2) for at least fifty of Defendants
employees as well as thirty-three percent (33%) of Defendants workforce at the Facilities,
excluding part-time employees, as that term is defined by 29 U.S.C. 2101(a)(8).
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31. The Plaintiff and the Class Members were terminated by Defendant without cause
on their part, as part of or as the reasonably foreseeable consequence of the mass layoffs or plant
closings ordered by Defendant at the Facilities.
32. The Plaintiff and the Class Members are affected employees of Defendant,
within the meaning of 29 U.S.C. 2101(a)(5).
33. Defendant was required by the WARN Act to give the Plaintiff and the Class
Members at least 60 days advance written notice of their terminations.
34. Defendant failed to give the Plaintiff and the Class members written notice that
complied with the requirements of the WARN Act.
35. The Plaintiff and each of the Class Members, are aggrieved employees of the
Defendant as that term is defined in 29 U.S.C. 2104(a)(7).
36. Defendant failed to pay the Plaintiff and each of the Class Members their
respective wages, salary, commissions, bonuses, accrued holiday pay and accrued vacation for
60 days following their respective terminations, and failed to make the pension and 401(k)
contributions and provide employee benefits under COBRA for 60 days from and after the dates
of their respective terminations.
37. The relief sought in this proceeding is equitable in nature.
PRAYER FOR RELIEF
WHEREFORE, the Plaintiff, individually and on behalf of all other similarly situated
persons, pray for the following relief as against Defendant:
A. Certification of this action as a class action;
B. Designation of the Plaintiff as the Class Representative;
C. Appointment of the undersigned attorneys as Class Counsel;
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D. A judgment in favor of the Plaintiff and the other similarly situated former
employees equal to the sum of: their unpaid wages, salary, commissions, bonuses,
accrued holiday pay, accrued vacation pay, pension and 401(k) contributions and
other COBRA benefits, for 60 days, that would have been covered and paid under
the then-applicable employee benefit plans had that coverage continued for that
period, all determined in accordance with the WARN Act, 29 U.S.C.
2104(a)(1)(A); and
E. Such other and further relief as this Court may deem just and proper.
DATED: August 11, 2015
Respectfully submitted,
By: /s/ Christopher D. Loizides
Christopher D. Loizides (No. 3968)
LOIZIDES, P.A.1225 King Street, Suite 800
Wilmington, DE 19801
Telephone: (302) 654-0248Facsimile: (302) 364-0728
E-mail: [email protected]
Jack A. Raisner, Esq.
Ren S. Roupinian, Esq.
OUTTEN & GOLDEN LLP3 Park Avenue, 29
thFloor
New York, NY 10016
Telephone: (212) 245-1000
Attorneys for Plaintiff and the putative class
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S 44 (Rev. 12/12) CIVIL COVER SHEETThe JS 44 civil cover sheet and the information contained herein neither replace nor supplement the filing and service of pleadings or other papers as required by law, except
rovided by local rules of court. This form, approved by the Judicial Conference of the United States in September 1974, is required for the use of the Clerk of Court for theurpose of initiating the civil docket sheet. (SEE INSTRUCTIONS ON NEXT PAGE OF THIS FORM.)
. (a) PLAINTIFFS DEFENDANTS
(b) County of Residence of First Listed Plaintiff County of Residence of First Listed Defendant
(EXCEPT IN U.S. PLAINTIFF CASES) (IN U.S. PLAINTIFF CASES ONLY)
NOTE: IN LAND CONDEMNATION CASES, USE THE LOCATION OFTHE TRACT OF LAND INVOLVED.
(c) Attorneys (Firm Name, Address, and Telephone Number) Attorneys (If Known)
I. BASIS OF JURISDICTION(Place an X in One Box Only) III. CITIZENSHIP OF PRINCIPAL PARTIES(Place an X in One Box for(For Diversity Cases Only) and One Box for Defendant
1 U.S. Government 3 Federal Question PTF DEF PTF D
Plaintiff (U.S. Government Not a Party) Citizen of This State 1 1 Incorporated orPrincipal Place 4
of Business In This State
2 U.S. Government 4 Diversity Citizen of Another State 2 2 Incorporated andPrincipal Place 5
Defendant (Indicate Citizenship of Parties in Item III) of Business In Another State
Citizen or Subject of a 3 3 Foreign Nation 6
Foreign Country
V. NATURE OF SUIT(Place an X in One Box Only)CONTRACT TORTS FORFEITURE/PENALTY BANKRUPTCY OTHER STATUTES
110 Insurance PERSONAL INJURY PERSONAL INJURY 625 Drug Related Seizure 422 Appeal 28 USC 158 375 False Claims Act
120 Marine 310 Airplane 365 Personal Injury - of Property 21 USC 881 423 Withdrawal 400 State Reapportionm
130 Miller Act 315 Airplane Product Product Liability 690 Other 28 USC 157 410 Antitrust
140 Negotiable Instrument Liability 367 Health Care/ 430 Banks and Banking
150 Recovery of Overpayment 320 Assault, Libel & Pharmaceutical PROPERTY RIGHTS 450 Commerce& Enforcement of Judgment Slander Personal Injury 820 Copyrights 460 Deportation
151 Medicare Act 330 Federal Employers Product Liabi lity 830 Patent 470 Racketeer Influence
152 Recovery of Defaulted Liability 368 Asbestos Personal 840 Trademark Corrupt Organizatio
Student Loans 340 Marine Injury Product 480 Consumer Credit
(Excludes Veterans) 345 Marine Product Liability LABOR SOCIAL SECURITY 490 Cable/Sat TV 153 Recovery of Overpayment Liability PERSONAL PROPERTY 710 Fair Labor Standards 861 HIA (1395ff) 850 Securities/Commod
of Veterans Benefits 350 Motor Vehicle 370 Other Fraud Act 862 Black Lung (923) Exchange
160 Stockholders Suits 355 Motor Vehicle 371 Truth in Lending 720 Labor/Management 863 DIWC/DIWW (405(g)) 890 Other Statutory Acti
190 Other Contract Product Liability 380 Other Personal Relations 864 SSID Title XVI 891 Agricultural Acts
195 Contract Product Liability 360 Other Personal Property Damage 740 Railway Labor Act 865 RSI (405(g)) 893 Environmental Matt
196 Franchise Injury 385 Property Damage 751 Family and Medical 895 Freedom of Informa
362 Personal Injury - Product Liability Leave Act ActMedical Malpractice 790 Other Labor Litigation 896 Arbitration
REAL PROPERTY CIVIL RIGHTS PRISONER PETITIONS 791 Employee Retirement FEDERAL TAX SUITS 899 Administrative Proc
210 Land Condemnation 440 Other Civil Rights Habeas Corpus: Income Security Act 870 Taxes (U.S. Plaintiff Act/Review or Appe
220 Foreclosure 441 Voting 463 Alien Detainee or Defendant) Agency Decision
230 Rent Lease & Ejectment 442 Employment 510 Motions to Vacate 871 IRSThird Party 950 Constitutionality of
240 Torts to Land 443 Housing/ Sentence 26 USC 7609 State Statutes
245 Tort Product Liability Accommodations 530 General
290 All Other Real Property 445 Amer. w/Disabilities - 535 Death Penalty IMMIGRATION
Employment Other: 462 Naturalization Application 446 Amer. w/Disabilities - 540 Mandamus & Other 465 Other Immigration
Other 550 Civil Rights Actions
448 Education 555 Prison Condition
560 Civil Detainee -
Conditions of
Confinement
V. ORIGIN(Place an X in One Box Only)
1 OriginalProceeding
2 Removed fromState Court
3 Remanded fromAppellate Court
4 Reinstated orReopened
5 Transferred fromAnother District(specify)
6 MultidistrictLitigation
VI. CAUSE OF ACTION
Cite the U.S. Civil Statute under which you are filing (Do not cite jurisdictional statutes unless diversity):
Brief description of cause:
VII. REQUESTED INCOMPLAINT:
CHECK IF THIS IS A CLASS ACTIONUNDER RULE 23, F.R.Cv.P.
DEMAND $ CHECK YES only if demanded in complaint
JURY DEMAND: Yes No
VIII. RELATED CASE(S)IF ANY
(See instructions):JUDGE DOCKET NUMBER
DATE SIGNATURE OF ATTORNEY OF RECORD
FOR OFFICE USE ONLY
RECEIPT # AMOUNT APPLYING IFP JUDGE MAG. JUDGE
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FELICE MARTIN, on behalf of herself and all others similarly situated
Los Angeles, CA
Christopher D. Loizides (No. 3968), LOIZIDES, P.A., 1225 King Street,Suite 800, Wilmington, Delaware 19801, Telephone: (302) 654-0248,E-mail: [email protected]
ZIRTUAL INC.
Clark County, NV
29 U.S.C. 2101 et seq.
Violation of the WARN Act
08/11/2015 /s/ Christopher D. Loizides, Esq.
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JS 44 Reverse (Rev. 12/12)
INSTRUCTIONS FOR ATTORNEYS COMPLETING CIVIL COVER SHEET FORM JS 44
Authority For Civil Cover Sheet
The JS 44 civil cover sheet and the information contained herein neither replaces nor supplements the filings and service of pleading or other papers as
required by law, except as provided by local rules of court. This form, approved by the Judicial Conference of the United States in September 1974, is
required for the use of the Clerk of Court for the purpose of initiating the civil docket sheet. Consequently, a civil cover sheet is submitted to the Clerk o
Court for each civil complaint filed. The attorney filing a case should complete the form as follows:
I.(a) Plaintiffs-Defendants. Enter names (last, first, middle initial) of plaintiff and defendant. If the plaintiff or defendant is a government agency, us
only the full name or standard abbreviations. If the plaintiff or defendant is an official within a government agency, identify first the agency andthen the official, giving both name and title.
(b) County of Residence. For each civil case filed, except U.S. plaintiff cases, enter the name of the county where the first listed plaintiff resides attime of filing. In U.S. plaintiff cases, enter the name of the county in which the first listed defendant resides at the time of filing. (NOTE: In lan
condemnation cases, the county of residence of the "defendant" is the location of the tract of land involved.)
(c) Attorneys. Enter the firm name, address, telephone number, and attorney of record. If there are several attorneys, list them on an attachment, noin this section "(see attachment)".
II. Jurisdiction. The basis of jurisdiction is set forth under Rule 8(a), F.R.Cv.P., which requires that jurisdictions be shown in pleadings. Place an in one of the boxes. If there is more than one basis of jurisdiction, precedence is given in the order shown below.
United States plaintiff. (1) Jurisdiction based on 28 U.S.C. 1345 and 1348. Suits by agencies and officers of the United States are included here
United States defendant. (2) When the plaintiff is suing the United States, its officers or agencies, place an "X" in this box.
Federal question. (3) This refers to suits under 28 U.S.C. 1331, where jurisdiction arises under the Constitution of the United States, an amendm
to the Constitution, an act of Congress or a treaty of the United States. In cases where the U.S. is a party, the U.S. plaintiff or defendant code tak
precedence, and box 1 or 2 should be marked.
Diversity of citizenship. (4) This refers to suits under 28 U.S.C. 1332, where parties are citizens of different states. When Box 4 is checked, the
citizenship of the different parties must be checked. (See Section III below; NOTE: federal question actions take precedence over diversitycases.)
III. Residence (citizenship) of Principal Parties. This section of the JS 44 is to be completed if diversity of citizenship was indicated above. Marksection for each principal party.
IV. Nature of Suit. Place an "X" in the appropriate box. If the nature of suit cannot be determined, be sure the cause of action, in Section VI belowsufficient to enable the deputy clerk or the statistical clerk(s) in the Administrative Office to determine the nature of suit. If the cause fits more th
one nature of suit, select the most definitive.
V. Origin. Place an "X" in one of the six boxes.Original Proceedings. (1) Cases which originate in the United States district courts.
Removed from State Court. (2) Proceedings initiated in state courts may be removed to the district courts under Title 28 U.S.C., Section 1441.
When the petition for removal is granted, check this box.Remanded from Appellate Court. (3) Check this box for cases remanded to the district court for further action. Use the date of remand as the fili
date.
Reinstated or Reopened. (4) Check this box for cases reinstated or reopened in the district court. Use the reopening date as the filing date.
Transferred from Another District. (5) For cases transferred under Title 28 U.S.C. Section 1404(a). Do not use this for within district transfers o
multidistrict litigation transfers.
Multidistrict Litigation. (6) Check this box when a multidistrict case is transferred into the district under authority of Title 28 U.S.C. Section 140
When this box is checked, do not check (5) above.
VI. Cause of Action. Report the civil statute directly related to the cause of action and give a brief description of the cause. Do not cite jurisdictionstatutes unless diversity. Example: U.S. Civil Statute: 47 USC 553 Brief Description: Unauthorized reception of cable service
VII. Requested in Complaint. Class Action. Place an "X" in this box if you are filing a class action under Rule 23, F.R.Cv.P.Demand. In this space enter the actual dollar amount being demanded or indicate other demand, such as a preliminary injunction.
Jury Demand. Check the appropriate box to indicate whether or not a jury is being demanded.
VIII. Related Cases. This section of the JS 44 is used to reference related pending cases, if any. If there are related pending cases, insert the docketnumbers and the corresponding judge names for such cases.
Date and Attorney Signature. Date and sign the civil cover sheet.
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