KINGWOOD – A Preston County woman is suing her employer over allegations that unlawful deductions were taken from her pay.
Ann Hunt filed a complaint in Preston Circuit Court against Interactive Medical Specialists Inc. and Jaleh Ebrahimi citing the West Virginia Wage Payment and Collection Act.
The suit states that the plaintiff is employed by the defendants as a phlebotomist. She alleges she signed an employment contract with the defendants on Oct. 2, 2018, and was understood to work 30 to 40 hours a week and be paid $14.14 an hour plus fringe benefits of $4.18 per hour.
The suit states the plaintiff opted to receive an additional $4.18 per hour minus 55 cents per hour in instead of receiving medical and retirement benefits. The suit states the 55 cents was deducted by the defendants for taxes under a miscellaneous fringe heading, but the plaintiff alleges this deduction is not for taxes that she was legally obligated to pay and is unlawful under the WPCA.
The plaintiff is seeking all reasonable sums due, attorney fees and court costs. The plaintiff is represented by John R. Merinar Jr. and Bonnie Thomas in Bridgeport.
The case has been assigned to Judge Steven L. Shaffer.
Preston Circuit Court case number 19-C-41