LOS ANGELES (CN) - In a Superior Court class action, migrant farm workers from Thailand say they were lured into paying up to $17,000 apiece to work in Washington state for $8.71 an hour, but were paid less than minimum wage and never got their promised work schedule.
Somkhit Nasee, Wisit Kampilo and Bunsri Nametha say they were hired by Global Horizons Manpower to work as seasonal agricultural workers at Valley Fruit Orchards and/or Green Acre Farms in eastern Washington.
The men say they had to pay for physical exams, visa applications, travel, passports and other fees of up to $17,000. They say they signed year-long employment contracts promising work for 8 hours a day, five days a week, at $8.71 an hour.
But the men say they were not given the promised work, and that they were paid less than minimum wage when they did work.
They seek unpaid wages and damages. They are represented by Michael Withey.
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