South Los Angeles Animal Care Center developers sued for underpaying workers

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- The South Los Angeles Animal Care Center cares for animals, but city officials say the developers who built the facility didn't take care of its workers.

Los Angeles City Attorney Mike Feuer filed a lawsuit against Mackone Development Inc. and five subcontractors, alleging they underpaid their workers and often failed to pay them overtime wages.

"Nearly 50 and perhaps more workers were underpaid at least a quarter-million dollars and we allege that their employers failed to keep proper records," Feuer said.

Mackone Development Inc. was awarded the $9.6 million construction contract for the 68,000-square foot South L.A. Animal Care Center near 60th Street and Western Avenue in 2009. The general contractor then delegated the work to five subcontractors: Pak's Cabinet, Lectrfy Inc., Southern California Steel Inc., KCC General Construction and King Wire Partitions Inc./Nader Construction.

The lawsuit alleges several employees who worked numerous Saturday hours were never paid. The weekend hours were never recorded on the official payrolls the contractors submitted, as required by law.

According to the lawsuit, Pak's Cabinet should have paid workers close to $49 an hour including benefits, but actually paid workers as low as $8 an hour, and also faked records submitted to the city. The company also failed to pay workers time-and-a-half for overtime worked.

"Stealing wages from hardworking men and women is reprehensible and it must end," Feuer said. "No one -- especially city contractors paid with taxpayer dollars -- should fail to pay workers what they are rightly owed."

Lectrfy Inc. allegedly changed the hours entered into the workers' time card system to delete overtime hours worked, thus paying workers less. Meantime, KCC General Construction paid some employees lump cash sums equaling $5 per hour for an eight hour work day.

The lawsuit alleges Mackone Development Inc. told the employees to remain silent.

"The impact on the workers was significant; not only were they and their families severely damaged financially, but many were subject to overt harassment and intimidation as part of the Defendants' efforts to conceal their illegal schemes," Feuer said.

Mackone Development Inc. did not return Eyewitness News' request for comment.

A spokesman for King Wire Partitions Inc. told Eyewitness News via phone that it installed the animal cages in the shelter. The spokesman said he did nothing wrong and referred Eyewitness News to his attorney who did not return our calls.

Feuer's lawsuit seeks to have Mackone Development Inc. and its five subcontractors pay their employees what they are allegedly owed, and also pursues penalties of $2,500 for each violation. He is also asking for a permanent injunction prohibiting any of the companies from participating on any projects for the city of Los Angeles.