John Regan and Jeffrey Strom File Amended Complaint Against Table Talk Pies, Inc.

03/05/2024

Attorneys John Regan and Jeffrey Strom filed an amended complaint in Worcester Superior Court today on behalf of their client, a former sanitation manager at Table Talk Pies, Inc. (“Table Talk”). The amended complaint seeks damages for claims of independent contractor misclassification and retaliation against both Table Talk and its President, individually, as it is alleged he directed the activities of the company.

The Plaintiff alleges that he worked for Table Talk for nearly 15 years as a sanitation manager and that he performed all of the same duties as the other sanitation managers at Table Talk, who were classified as employees. He also alleges he was subject to Table Talk’s direction and control with regard to his schedule and performance of his duties in many ways including:

He had an office in Table Talk’s facilities
He was expected to report to Table Talk’s facilities at least 40 hours per week and, as a result, was not able to have his own, independent business
He used Table Talk’s equipment and computers and supervised Table Talk’s employees

The Plaintiff alleges that Table Talk nevertheless treated him as an independent contractor and did not provide him with the compensation or benefits offered to Table Talk’s employees.

After the Plaintiff first filed his claims in December 2023, he became the subject of significant retaliation, which culminated with the company terminating him. After the Plaintiff initially filed his complaint, Plaintiff alleges that the company:

Sent a company-wide e-mail ridiculing the Plaintiff for filing his independent contractor misclassification claims
Concocted performance issues that allegedly came up while the Plaintiff was on vacation (issues which had never been raised in his nearly 15 years of employment)
Hired an employee that appeared to be the Plaintiff’s replacement and stationed that employee in the Plaintiff’s office, which was far too small to comfortably fit two people
Packed up his office while he was on vacation
Subjected him to far more intense scrutiny and oversight by his superiors than he had experienced in his prior 15 years of employment
Ultimately terminated him when he refused to accept a pay cut

The Plaintiff is seeking more than $600,000 in wages, benefits and other liquidated damages arising as a result of Table Talk’s failure to properly classify him as an employee, plus wages lost due to his retaliatory firing, multiple damages, attorney’s fees, court costs and prejudgment interest.

“We’re incredibly disappointed by the way Table Talk has treated our client – a nearly 15 year employee who simply sought to be paid and treated properly,” said Jeff Strom. “No employee should be subjected to the humiliating and belittling treatment our client endured while at Table Talk. And no one subjected to this level of control should be classified as an independent contractor. We intend to pursue our client’s rights to the fullest extent of the law and are proud that this courageous former employee has chosen us to represent his interests.”

John Regan and Jeffrey Strom File Amended Complaint Against Table Talk Pies, Inc.

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