Treasure Island sued again by fired workers as attorneys seek class-action status

Ten workers recently laid off from Treasure Island Foods have taken legal action against the company in a lawsuit their attorneys hope will be granted class-action status.

The lawsuit, filed Thursday in federal court in Chicago, alleges the company violated the state and federal Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification acts for not giving workers at its seven Chicago-area locations 60-day notice before laying them off and closing shop.

Workers also allege Treasure Island violated the Illinois Wage Payment and Collection Act for failing to pay employees for accrued but unused paid time off.

The workers’ attorneys, Karen Engelhardt and Alejandro Caffarelli, estimate the allegations levied against Treasure Island in the suit apply to some 400 former Treasure Island employees and are seeking classaction status.

Named defendants are three corporate entities that operated Treasure Island stores as well as chief executive Maria Kamberos and president Christ Kamberos. Patrick Cavanaugh, a partner in High Ridge Partners, the liquidation firm now managing the company’s assets, was also named in the suit.

Thursday’s lawsuit is the third filed against Treasure Island since it abruptly told its employees on Sept. 26 it would be closing all of its stores within three weeks.