New York state has moved to recover more than $1.4 million that the state says is owed Feher Rubbish Removal workers for back wages, plus penalties and interest, according to court documents.
The state Department of Labor filed the paperwork to try to prevent the trash hauler from getting any money paid by Feher customers, the court filings show.
The state has started an investigation to determine if Feher owes money to its employees and how much, the court papers show. The court papers are part of a filing by Solvay Bank to try to recover money the bank says the trash hauler owes the bank.
The lawsuit by the bank estimates that Feher owes $2.8 million to the bank, workers, the state and others.
The state asked the town of Salina to withhold paying the trash company $1,238,330. The state is also seeking $170,048 from the Oneida-Herkimer Solid Waste Authority| City of Utica.
Feher Rubbish Removal, the second-largest trash hauler in Onondaga County, employed about 90 people and served tens of thousands of customers in Central New York and the Rochester region.
The state Labor Department declined comment on the Feher, saying only it is an open investigation.
Municipalities, business and residents who contracted with Feher scrambled for coverage when the company closed. All towns and villages in Onondaga County that used Feher for municipal service have found another hauler.
Homeowners in other communities and businesses across the region have also had to find another trash hauler.
Several other trash haulers and other employers have reached out to hire former Feher employees.
Dale Pemberton, former CEO of Feher who said he was let go two weeks ago when he was going to announce the impending closing, said he has helped numerous employees find work.
Jake Schroo, who has worked for both the Syracuse and Geneva divisions of Feher, said the company owes him about $1,000 after taxes for eight days of work. He has not received a paycheck for those days.
Schroo said he didn't miss a day of work as Pemberton helped get him a job with another waste hauler.
"I know the owner tried to save the company,'' Schroo said.
Schroo said he was going to report to work early Thursday morning in Geneva when another employee told him not to bother coming in because the company couldn't dump the trash anywhere because Feher hadn't paid its fees.
Schroo said while he'd really like to get his back wages, he is grateful he has another job.