Judge rules against Ashley

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http://www.jsonline.com/story/CleanPrintProxy.aspx?1223492460750 1 of 110/8/2008 3:01 PM Advertisement Judge rules against Ashley unfair labor practice Furniture company committed an By GEORGIA PABST gpabst@journalsentinel.com Posted: Oct. 2, 2008 administrative law judge has ruled. regarding Social Security no-match letters, a federal including disciplinary actions that might be taken speaking with anyone about their employment, labor practice when it prohibited workers from Ashley Furniture Industries Inc.

committed an unfair said there would be no further comment. reviewed the ruling and will appeal the decision. She Company spokeswoman Paulette Rippley said Ashley Kennedy, an administrative law judge.

according to the 12-page ruling by Judge James told not to share this information with anyone, letters within a certain amount of time. They were fired if they did not resolve Social Security no-match Ashley started warning workers that they would be Milwaukee immigrant rights group, last year after The case was brought by Voces de La Frontera, a most of them Latinos. Wisconsin.

It employs more than 3,500 workers, manufacturers. It 9s based in Arcadia in western Ashley is one of the nation 9s largest furniture match Social Security letter for an employee. employers to take action when they received a no- proposed new rules that would have required Last ... more. less.

year, the Department of Homeland Security enforcing the no-match rule. injunction that kept Homeland Security from Union Immigrants 9 Rights Project won a temporary 2007, but Aug. 31, the American Civil Liberties The rule was scheduled to go into effect Sept. 14, database errors, she said. often such letters can be trigged by typing or the use of no-match letters was halted is because Neumann-Ortiz, director of Voces. Part of the reason worker is an illegal immigrant, said Christine Social Security no-match letters do not imply that a halted by the courts. implement the proposed federal rules that were She said Ashley rushed and prematurely tried to resolved. the first of two 30-day periods to get the matter match. She said she was given a letter that gave her that her name and Social Security number did not One worker testified she was called in and advised this to your co-workers or your supervisor. d official: cThis is confidential. You cannot talk about She said she was told by a company human resource states. its Latino workers into leaving the area, the ruling misinformation of false rumors, which might scare letter might have. The company did not want impact any public revelation about the no-match Dotta, said the company was concerned about the An executive vice president of the company, James © 2005-2007 Produced by , Journal Sentinel Inc. All rights reserved. | Journal Interactive | Privacy Policy

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