Sunbury Group sued for back wages

BANGOR – A local computer development group is being sued by the Maine Attorney General’s Office for alleged failure to pay more than $32,000 in back wages to 14 former employees.

The Sunbury Group, formerly known as Janus Development Corp., admits the workers’ jobs were terminated because it “had insufficient capital to pay its employees,” according to documents filed in Penobscot County Superior Court.

But the company denied it owes the workers any back wages.

According to the court documents, the 14 employees are seeking back wages or commissions for work performed between Aug. 7 and Aug. 29, 2000. Some of the employees worked the full three weeks while others worked less than a week.

The amount of wages allegedly due varies depending on the job an employee held and its associated pay rate. One employee said he is owed more than $5,600 in commissions and gross wages he earned over a three-week period while another stated he is owed $320 for two days of work, according to court documents.

The civil lawsuit was filed in May by the Attorney General’s Office on behalf of the Maine Department of Labor.

Assistant Attorney General Gwen Thomas said Wednesday that the employees and the state Department of Labor made several demands for the unpaid wages, and Sunbury denied in court papers that it received those demands.

Now, Thomas said, the Attorney General’s Office is seeking documentation from Sunbury that the wages actually were paid.

“That’s sort of a typical standard answer,” Thomas said. “You deny everything and make the other side prove it. It seems disingenuous, but it is the way litigation works.”

Sunbury Group owner Sandy Smith declined to comment Wednesday. The company’s attorney, Christopher Limberis, did not return a telephone call seeking comment.

The Attorney General’s Office is seeking damages and penalties that are permissible under state law. It wants Sunbury to pay the alleged back wages with interest plus double the wage amounts for each employee as compensation for damages.