United Furnishings sued after firing 2,700 employees

A Mississippi-based furnishings firm is being sued after firing all of its almost 2,700 workers by e mail and textual content message “moments earlier than midnight” simply days forward of the Thanksgiving vacation, in accordance with a brand new submitting. 

“Moments earlier than midnight on November 21, 2022, United notified its workers, by way of e mail and textual content message, that it was terminating all of its workers efficient instantly,” in accordance with court docket paperwork.

The brand new lawsuit alleges that United Furnishings Industries violated the federal WARN Act, or Employee Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act, requiring employers give 60 days discover upfront of termination and 60 days severance pay.

“They weren’t given both,” stated Jack Simpson, the lawyer advocating for the previous workers, in a press release to The Hill.

United Furnishings Industries, Inc. laid off its total workforce final Tuesday, two days earlier than Thanksgiving, in accordance with MarketWatch and different shops. The effective-immediately termination reportedly left workers with no revenue and minimize them off of advantages. 

“I’ve spoken to a husband and spouse who each misplaced their job on the similar time, a person who has abdomen most cancers and is apprehensive about affording his medicine, and one other particular person who has to resolve between suspending a surgical procedure or paying the medical bills out of pocket.  That is tragic state of affairs that’s laborious to grasp,” Simpson stated.

The brand new lawsuit was filed in U.S. District Court docket for the Northern District of Mississippi final week on behalf of longtime United Furnishings worker Toria Neal and “probably hundreds” of different employees. Simpson stated over 100 of the furnishings firm’s ex-employees have now employed his agency.

United Furnishings couldn’t be reached for remark.