Workers Threatened With Arrest After Paychecks Bounce
ALSIP, Ill. (CBS) -- A group of workers at an Alsip company just wanted to get paid. They thought their paycheck problems had been worked out, until Wednesday, when some former workers were threatened with arrest when their paychecks bounced.
As CBS 2's Dana Kozlov reports, from fighting to get back pay to getting pink slips after going public with their fight to get paid, workers at Consumer Products Services have had a tough time the last few months.
For some former employees, times just got tougher.
Burbank resident Ted Dabrowski tried to cash two company checks at a Currency Exchange more than a month ago, but the checks bounced.
He thought the problems with those paychecks had been cleared up by the company, until Tuesday night when a police officer showed up at his home.
"He comes and tells me that if I don't pay the money (to the Currency Exchange) by Friday, I'm going to be arrested," Dobrowski said.
His sister, Angelika Dabrowska, said the experience was frustrating and frightening. "Especially at 8 o'clock at night. It just seemed strange that a police officer would show up at the door."
Former co-worker Leo Martinez was in a similar situation. He got a letter Wednesday from another Currency Exchange, saying the check he cashed more than a month ago had bounced and warning him to pay up or face legal action.
"I didn't know what to say," Martinez said. "I really actually got really mad. ... It's not my fault. It's money that I worked for and then they're gonna send me a letter saying I have to pay it back? That's not right."
Burbank police said they have no record of the police visit to the Dobrowskis' home, but will investigate the matter after talking to the family.
Late Wednesday afternoon, another former employee said he received a similar letter about a bounced check from his Currency Exchange, asking him to pay up or else.
Consumer Products Service's vice president of operations said he was just made aware of this situation and wants to make sure the checks were cashed legally.
If so, he said he'll take care of it by the end of the week.
