Anatomy of a Post-Katrina Scam
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August 2006
On behalf of himself and 82 other workers from Peru as well as Bolivia and the Dominican Republic, Contreras files a lawsuit in U.S. District Court against Patrick Quinn and Decatur Hotels for violating the terms of his H-2B visa. They cite insufficient hours, poor living conditions, and low wages. The workers hold a press conference with the Southern Poverty Law Center, the New Orleans Worker Justice Coalition, and the National Immigration Law Center, all of whom helped with the lawsuit.
The day after the lawsuit is filed, Contreras calls in sick. He receives his third penalty. He is fired and evicted from his living quarters. Under the terms of his H-2B visa he is not permitted to seek work elsewhere. With the help of his lawyers, Contreras files a complaint with the National Labor Board.
September 2006
Contreras and other workers stage protests in front of Decatur Hotels headquarters in downtown New Orleans.
October 2006
Contreras, who was unemployed for two months, is re-hired by Decatur Hotels and given a night-shift job in the laundry room. His hours vary from 8 to 30 a week. He drops his National Labor Board complaint.
November 2006
Housing and work conditions for Contreras and the other workers remain unchanged. The lawsuit is pending. Contreras likens his circumstances to "modern slavery."
January 2007
Contreras' H-2B visa expires but he manages to secure an F-1 student visa that enables him to stay in the U.S. He enrolls in ESL classes at a local community college, and along with some fellow workers, co-founds Guest Workers for Dignity, the only guest-worker advocacy group in the nation run by the workers themselves.
May 2007
U.S. District Court Judge Eldon E. Fallon finds that workers hired by Decatur Hotels in New Orleans are entitled to sue their employer under the Fair Labor Standards Act. It is the first federal ruling of its kind and enables the lawsuit to proceed.
June 2007
Fifteen months after his arrival in the United States, Contreras remains $1,800 in debt.
