Three former Honda Center concession workers have filed a class-action lawsuit alleging Anaheim Arena Management LLC violated state law by failing to keep them on the job after taking over concession operations at the venue. California labor code requires employees of a previous contractor to be re-interviewed for their jobs by a new contractor during a 60-day transition period, and if the workforce is being cut positions are to be doled out based on seniority, according to the complaint filed in Orange County Superior Court.
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About 220 Honda Center food and beverage workers had worked for the Aramark company for more than five years, and nearly 100 of those had been employed at the arena for more than 10 years, according to the suit. Aramark laid off most of its Honda Center workers at the end of June, and Anaheim Arena Management, a subsidiary of the Anaheim Ducks and manager of the Honda Center, took over food and beverage services on July 1.
Around 430 of the previous Aramark employees applied for their jobs back in June, but only about 75 received offers, according to the suit.
“At the end of the 60-day transition employment period, the successor contractor must provide a written performance evaluation to each retained employee and offer continued employment to any retained employee whose performance was satisfactory during the 60-day period,” reads the complaint.
Lead plaintiffs Jaime Gonzalez, Maria Elena Monroy and Christopher Smith are seeking back pay.
Honda Center spokeswoman Merit Tully declined City News Service's request for comment on the suit.
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