NLV janitorial company sued in worker-pay case

A North Las Vegas janitorial company violated federal and state labor laws by not paying its employees what they earned, a lawyer said Thursday in announcing a federal class action lawsuit against the company.

"They were treated much like slaves," Matthew Callister said, referring to Bravo Pro Maintenance.

The lawsuit was filed Wednesday by former Bravo Pro employee Rosendo Perez-Zarate.

Callister said his law firm had interviewed about 50 current and former employees who said they were paid an average of $4.40 an hour, well below the federal minimum wage of $7.25 an hour.

The employees were forced to work 10- to 12-hour shifts without breaks for seven days a week, he said.

The group included legal and illegal immigrants, but even illegal immigrants are protected under the labor laws, he said.

Callister said he hoped the lawsuit would prompt the company's clients to pressure Bravo Pro into paying the back wages owed to the employees.

The company's Web site lists Hard Rock Cafe, Ruth's Chris Steakhouse, Hofbrauhaus and other area restaurants as clients.

The phone number on the Web site was disconnected.