KTNV ABC,Channel 13,Las Vegas,Nevada,News,Weather,Sports,Entertainment,KTNV.com,Action News .:. Former Bill Heard Employee Files Lawsuit

Former Bill Heard Employee Files Lawsuit

Last month Bill Heard shut down 14 dealerships in seven states, citing a drop in sales and a lack of available credit.

Now more than 2 thousand employees are without a job. Many are struggling to make ends meetand still waiting on their final paychecks.

Former employee Erick Florez says, " I live paycheck to paycheck. I need my money"

Florez is now trying to get on board a class action lawsuit.

A former worker has filed a claim against Bill Heard Chevrolet and two dozen affiliated companies, claiming they violated a federal law.

Attorney Rene Roupinian from Otten & Golden says the law, "requires basically that an employer gives an employee 60 days advance written notice before they shut down or a mass layoff. In this situation the employees were given no notice."

Florez says employees were assured just days before the lay-offs, their jobs were secure and that the shut downs would not affect the Las Vegas dealerships.

Florez says,  "Most of us think that they knew something before and just didn't tell us."

Roupinion says she understand what these employees are going through and wants Bill Heard to be held accountable for what happened.

She says, "Employers should not be allowed to add to employee's woes, particularly in this economic climate, by terminating them without notice, without giving them the opportunity to look for other employement, to get retraining and to essentially just re-adjust to their new job status.