President Trump’s personal driver recently filed a lawsuit claiming that Trump failed to pay him for overtime hours worked during his 25-year tenure of employment. Noel Cintron claims he was shorted overtime hours on his pay for virtually the entire time he worked for Donald Trump. In the last six years alone, he claims that he worked more than 3,000 unpaid overtime hours.
Unfortunately, Cintron’s claim can only go back six years due to the statutes of limitations. Not only does Cintron have solid documentation of 3,300 hours of unpaid overtime, but he also claims he was only given two pay increases over the last 15 years, with the second specifically to offset when Trump cut his health benefits.
Cintron is not the first person to claim Donald Trump has not paid for services rendered. A short list of those who also allege they were not paid for work performed for Trump include landscapers, hotel suppliers, plumbers, electricians and mortgage brokers. Just last year, a Florida luxury golf resort owned by Trump was ordered to pay more than $30,000 to a supply company that was not paid for paint used on the property.
Cintron’s alleges “an utterly callous display of unwarranted privilege and entitlement.” According to the complaint, he was required to be on duty at 7:00 a.m. each day until such time as his services were no longer required at the end of each day. Although he worked as much as 55 hours per week, he was paid a fixed salary.
In 2010, Cintron’s salary was bumped to $75,000 per year, but the increase came with a steep price – the loss of his health insurance, which saved Trump nearly $18,000 per year. Cintron was Trump’s personal driver until the presidential election, at which time the Secret Service took over. Cintron seeks more than $200,000 in damages. Predictably, the Trump camp asserts that Cintron was paid “generously and in accordance with the law,” at all times.
There are a number of state and federal laws that protect workers against “wage-theft” in the form of being paid less than minimum wage or not being paid for overtime. Under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), certain employees must be paid one-and-a-half times their normal hourly rate for any hours worked over forty per week. Even employees who are paid a salary, like Noel Cintron, may be entitled to overtime pay. If you think you are the victim of wage theft, it may be beneficial for you to speak with a knowledgeable Florida employment attorney.
If you’ve been cheated out of overtime pay, you need an experienced and aggressive Miami employment lawyer on your side who will closely investigate your case to determine if wage theft did in fact occurr. Call the Law Office of Keith M. Stern, P.A. today at (888) 315-8771 for a free consultation. We believe in holding employers accountable for their actions and the harm they cause.
