Douglas v. Anthem Productions, LLC d/b/a Anthem Sound, Stage, and Lighting, and Advanced Audio Technology, LLC d/b/a Anthem SSL, and Evaggelos Poulos a/k/a Angelo Poulos, individually, and Joseph Lodi, individually, and Jason Ojeda, individually Case No.: 1:18-cv-05789

New Collective Action filed in the Southern District of New York
Douglas v. Anthem Productions, LLC d/b/a Anthem Sound, Stage, and Lighting, and Advanced Audio Technology, LLC d/b/a Anthem SSL, and Evaggelos Poulos a/k/a Angelo Poulos, individually, and Joseph Lodi, individually, and Jason Ojeda, individually Case No.: 1:18-cv-05789

On June 26, 2018, lead Plaintiff Carlton Douglas, on behalf of himself, individually, and on behalf of all others similarly-situated, filed a class and collective action lawsuit in the United States District Court Southern District of New York against Anthem Productions, LLC d/b/a Anthem Sound, Stage, and Lighting (“Anthem”), and Advanced Audio Technology, LLC d/b/a Anthem SSL (“AAT”), and Evaggelos Poulos a/k/a Angelo Poulos (“Poulos”), individually, and Joseph Lodi (“Lodi”), individually, and Jason Ojeda (“Ojeda”), individually (all collectively as “Defendants”). The complaint alleges as follows:

Defendants Anthem and AAT are two privately-owned entities that install, lease and perform maintenance services on special effects equipment, servicing venues, clubs, and events throughout New York City – – primarily in Manhattan – – as well as out-of-state locations (such as Florida, California, Nevada, Illinois, and Texas). Defendants Poulos, Lodi, and Ojeda, owned, operated, and/or managed Defendant AAT, overseeing its operations daily, and were responsible for all matters with respect to hiring, firing, determining employees’ rates, methods of pay, and hours worked. On or about January 1, 2016, Lodi and Ojeda sold their ownership shares of AAT to Poulos. Shortly thereafter, Poulos merged AAT’s business with Anthem, which as the successor entity of AAT, assumed liability for all debts, legal obligations, and claims against the companies. Defendants hired Plaintiff to work as an audio technician first at AAT and then at Anthem, however, they neglected to provide him with any wage notice. Thus, Defendants violated the New York Labor Law’s (“NYLL”) requirement that employers furnish employees with a wage notice at hire containing specific categories of accurate information. Yet, Defendants’ transgression of the law did not conclude there. Throughout his employment, Defendants required Plaintiff to work from forty-five to sixty hours per week from 6:00 a.m. or 7:00 a.m. to at least 5:00 p.m., five days a week. Defendants intentionally failed to compensate Mr. Douglas at the statutorily-required overtime rate for each hour that he worked more than forty hours each week and instead paid him at his straight hourly rate for all hours worked above forty hours. Finally, Defendants paid and treated all non-managerial audio technicians in this same manner. Accordingly, Plaintiff brings this lawsuit against Defendants pursuant to the collective action provisions of the FLSA, on behalf of himself and on behalf of all others similarly-situated who suffered damages because of Defendants’ willful violations of the law.

If any individual is or has previously been an employee for the Defendants named in the lawsuit during the time period of April, 2014 – present, and/or has information that may be relevant to this case, please contact Borrelli & Associates, P.L.L.C. as soon as possible through our website or by phone: (516) 248–5550, (516) ABOGADO, or (212) 679–5000.