Local

Florida company accused of not paying workers shuts down, must pay $96K

A Florida company accused of not paying workers has now shut down.

That’s after a series of Action News Jax Investigations and a federal investigation into Accurate Event Group.

A spokesperson for the Dept. of Labor said the agency completed its investigation and Accurate Event Group has agreed to pay 298 employees $96,087 in wages and overtime back pay.

Accurate Event Group’s website has been taken down and a Florida Dept. of State record shows the company dissolved.

“I don’t work for free, you know?” said Jacksonville security guard Donald Cope.

Cope said he agreed to work for Accurate Event Group at a Slayer concert in Orlando this summer to help pay for groceries.

“Because I don’t get that much in food stamps,” said Cope.

But Cope and hundreds of others said Accurate Event Group never paid them.

An Action News Jax Investigation in June revealed dozens of security guards at Welcome to Rockville said Accurate Event Group had not paid them.

After that story, workers from six events came forward to Action News Jax saying they were not paid by Accurate Event Group either.

In February, parking attendants at the Jacksonville IKEA grand opening finally got their Accurate Event Group checks after Action News Jax got involved.

Cope said, after seeing Action News Jax's stories, he reported his missing pay to the Dept. of Labor.
But he said he hasn't heard from the agency since then and hasn't gotten a dime.

“If they’re going to pay everybody their money, I hope they will do the same with me,” said Cope.

The Dept. of Labor said Accurate Event Group has until Monday to pay up.

After shutting down Accurate Event Group, company president Gordon Marrin got a new executive gig.

He’s now Vice President of Events for LAZ Parking, a nationwide parking management company.

"LAZ Parking had no affiliation with Accurate Events Group, but since AEG closed its doors, we have hired many of their former employees. Since our founding in 1981, LAZ Parking has been committed to providing our customers with the best parking experience possible and complying with all local, state, and federal wage and hour laws,” said LAZ Parking spokesperson Mary Coursey in an email to Action News Jax.

Workers who have questions about the investigation or their back wage payments can contact the Dept. of Labor’s Wage and Hour division directly at 1-866-4USWAGE (1-866-487-9243) or call the Miami line: 305-598-6607.