Washington State

Office of the Attorney General

Attorney General

Bob Ferguson

SEATTLE — Attorney General Bob Ferguson today filed a consumer protection lawsuit against janitorial services company National Maintenance Contractors. National took advantage of immigrants with limited English proficiency and promised them the independence of business ownership. Unfortunately, in reality, National locked its franchisees into contracts that often left them earning less than minimum wage, paying exorbitant fees, and with little ability to advocate for themselves.
СИЭТЛ — Генеральный прокурор Боб Фергюсон (Bob Ferguson) сегодня подал иск о защите прав потребителей против клининговой компании Нэшнл Мэйтенанс Контракторз (National Maintenance Contractors). Компания Нэшнл пользовалась услугами иммигрантов с ограниченным знанием английского языка и обещала им собственный независимый бизнес. К сожалению, в действительности компания Нэшнл предлагала своим франчайзи контракты, по которым они часто получали меньше минимальной заработной платы, платили завышенные взносы и практически не имели возможности защитить свои права.
SEATTLE. El Procurador General Bob Ferguson ha presentado hoy una demanda de protección al consumidor contra la empresa de servicios de limpieza National Maintenance Contractors. National se aprovechó de los inmigrantes con un dominio limitado del inglés y les prometió la independencia de ser dueño de su propio negocio. Lamentablemente, en realidad, National sometía a sus franquiciados a contratos que, a menudo, los permitían ganar menos del salario mínimo, pagando tarifas exorbitantes y con poca capacidad para defenderse.
SEATTLE — As a result of a lawsuit brought by Attorney General Bob Ferguson, a California-based air cargo handler must end its practice of discriminating against pregnant and disabled employees, in violation of the Washington Law Against Discrimination. The company, Matheson Flight Extenders, must also pay $168,500, which will compensate harmed employees.
Following trial in Attorney General Bob Ferguson’s lawsuit against CLA Estate Services, Inc. and CLA USA, Inc., a King County Superior Court judge ruled that the companies must pay a total of more than $6.1 million plus 12 percent annual interest to 1,100 Washington seniors for misleading them about estate planning and other deceptive conduct. The company must also pay $6.5 million in civil penalties, which by law will go to the state general fund. The court also ruled that CLA must pay the Attorney General’s Office more than $1.8 million in attorney’s costs and fees.
The Attorney General’s Office is continuing its review of the Manuel Ellis case. Our review began in November. This review remains the top priority of our Criminal Justice Division.
OLYMPIA — Attorney General Bob Ferguson today announced that Boston Scientific, a medical device manufacturer, will pay more than $8.8 million to Washington for misrepresentations and failure to include serious risks in the instructions and marketing materials for surgical mesh devices.
A Superior Court judge in Spokane has denied an attempt by Greyhound Lines Inc. to dismiss Attorney General Bob Ferguson’s lawsuit against the national bus line company. The lawsuit, filed in April, seeks to hold Greyhound accountable for its practice of allowing U.S. Customs & Border Protection (CBP) agents to board its buses and conduct warrantless and suspicionless immigration sweeps of Greyhound passengers at the Spokane Intermodal Center, and repeatedly refusing to implement reforms to protect its passengers.
Ayer, una jueza de la Corte Superior de Spokane rechazó el intento de Greyhound Lines, Inc. de despedir la demanda del Procurador General Bob Ferguson contra la compañía nacional de línea de autobuses. La demanda, presentada al pasado abril, busca responsabilizar a Greyhound por permitir que los agentes de Aduanas y Protección Fronteriza de los EE. UU.(U.S. Customs & Border Protection) (CBP) aborden los autobuses para llevar a cabo redadas de los pasajeros de Greyhound sin contar con órdenes judiciales ni sospecha razonable en el Spokane Intermodal Center, y por negarse repetidamente a implementar reformas para proteger a los pasajeros.
OLYMPIA — On March 23 and 24, Attorney General Bob Ferguson and Gonzaga University School of Law will convene a symposium to discuss environmental justice issues around Washington and the work being done to address them. The goal of the symposium, titled “Environmental Justice: Race, Poverty and the Environment,” is to provide a platform for communities disproportionately impacted by structural racism, climate change and pollution.

Topic: