Former instructors plan to sue Heritage Institute

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FORT MYERS, Fla. — Former Heritage Institute instructors plan to sue the shuttered technical college, citing unpaid wages and the school’s failure to notify them about the dire financial situation that led to its closure.

Some 600 employees who worked at Heritage’s 10 campuses nationwide intend to take part in a class-action suit. Teachers at the Fort Myers location are involved.

“This type of termination in our view violates the federal WARN act which requires that employees be given 60 days written notice,” said attorney Jack Raisner of the New York-based Outten Golden Law Firm. “In addition, the employees were not paid fully for their final three weeks worth of employment, and so they all have claims for unpaid wages.”

Heritage shut down without warning Nov. 1, just days after a letter was sent to employees assuring them the for-profit academy would remain open.

“We’re out jobs … we’re out our income … we didn’t get our full income to begin with and the checks we did get are starting to bounce,” said Amanda Teckenbrock, a former instructor at the Fort Myers campus.

Teckenbrock said some students have reached out to her saying their refund checks for federal aid are also bouncing.

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