(State: New York)
Earlier this year I worked at a video and social media content production company as a full-time in office freelancer. In February the executives gave the entire company only 24 hours notice that the company was "closing it's doors" and thereby laying-off all 100-ish employees and freelancers. Since then, none of the freelancers have been paid their last paycheck (for 2 weeks of pay), despite submitting invoices while the company was still open and while being told we would be paid. We continued to keep in contact with the company's accounting email over the next month or so, and the company has liquidated it's assets.
Since then the company announced it has been acquired as a subsidiary to a parent company. They re-opened using the same name, the same website, the same social media fronts, and both parent and subsidiary have publicly released articles announcing the acquisition. After having our emails ignored for about a week, I finally got hold of the subsidiary's accounting email once again, who only claimed that the subsidiary company closed it's doors on February 28th, liquidated it's assets and can no longer pay any debts, all this despite the company's continuous activity. The company even recently re-hired around 25 employees from before their closure (so they clearly have a source of money, from the parent company I assume).
Do I have a case in small claim's court (and how can I take action if they have relocated, will not provide an address or number, and ignore emails)? Also, if possible/necessary, would I be able to pierce the corporate veil and hold the parent company accountable?
Earlier this year I worked at a video and social media content production company as a full-time in office freelancer. In February the executives gave the entire company only 24 hours notice that the company was "closing it's doors" and thereby laying-off all 100-ish employees and freelancers. Since then, none of the freelancers have been paid their last paycheck (for 2 weeks of pay), despite submitting invoices while the company was still open and while being told we would be paid. We continued to keep in contact with the company's accounting email over the next month or so, and the company has liquidated it's assets.
Since then the company announced it has been acquired as a subsidiary to a parent company. They re-opened using the same name, the same website, the same social media fronts, and both parent and subsidiary have publicly released articles announcing the acquisition. After having our emails ignored for about a week, I finally got hold of the subsidiary's accounting email once again, who only claimed that the subsidiary company closed it's doors on February 28th, liquidated it's assets and can no longer pay any debts, all this despite the company's continuous activity. The company even recently re-hired around 25 employees from before their closure (so they clearly have a source of money, from the parent company I assume).
Do I have a case in small claim's court (and how can I take action if they have relocated, will not provide an address or number, and ignore emails)? Also, if possible/necessary, would I be able to pierce the corporate veil and hold the parent company accountable?
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