Daily Lawsuit News

Choice Hotels Denies Liability in Forced Labor Lawsuit

South Dakota Comfort Inn owners Robert and Angelina Farrell were convicted of 22 mixed counts of forced labor and peonage, or forced working in an unfair labor market. Now, it appears that Choice Hotels, the owners of Comfort Inn’s franchise, may be also at fault for not having more stringent guidelines and managing their hotel owners more closely.

Four Filipino workers have filed a civil lawsuit against Choice Hotels and the Farrells personally claiming unspecified damages for their suffering at the hands of the Comfort Inn owners. Choice Hotels denies any wrongdoing or liability involved in this case. As good franchisees, however, the Farrells have requested that the civil lawsuit against the parent company be dropped and only they be named as defendants.

In addition to these legal labor issues, the Farrells also were convicted of visa fraud and false statements. Settlement may be imminent, but the fact that a labor lawsuit of this magnitude occurs in this day and age is shameful, at best.

http://wkbt.com/Global/story.asp?S=8269089

Source: WKBT, LaCrosse

Posted in Civil Lawsuits, Immigration Fraud | 1 Comment »