A legal battle has erupted over alleged unpaid wages, capturing the attention of workers’ rights advocates. James Hynes filed a complaint on December 2, 2025, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois against ABS & Taylor Enterprises, Inc., accusing the company of failing to pay overtime wages as required by law. The lawsuit alleges violations of both federal and state labor laws, seeking justice not only for Hynes but also for other employees who might have been similarly affected.
The case revolves around allegations that ABS & Taylor Enterprises violated the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and the Illinois Minimum Wage Law (IMWL) by not compensating employees for overtime work. According to Hynes, he and other non-exempt employees routinely worked more than 40 hours per week without receiving the legally mandated overtime pay rate of one and one-half times their regular wage. “Defendant did not compensate Plaintiff and all other similarly situated employees at a rate of one and one-half times their regular rate of pay for hours worked in excess of forty (40) hours in individual workweeks,” states the complaint.
Hynes began his employment with ABS & Taylor Enterprises as a Service Technician in September 2019 and continued until his resignation on September 29, 2025. Throughout his tenure, he claims that his commute time was never compensated due to company policy requiring technicians to clock in only upon arrival at job sites. Additionally, Hynes alleges that his timesheets were altered without his knowledge, resulting in significant discrepancies between hours worked and hours paid. For instance, during two consecutive pay periods in September 2025, he claims to have worked a total of 149 hours but was compensated for only 111.25 hours.
The plaintiff is seeking various forms of relief from the court: compensation for unpaid overtime wages calculated at one and one-half times their regular rate, liquidated damages equal to this amount, reasonable attorneys’ fees, and any additional relief deemed appropriate by the court. This case could potentially impact many current and former employees if it proceeds as a collective action under the FLSA.
Representing James Hynes is attorney Chad W. Eisenback from Sulaiman Law Group Ltd., based in Lombard, Illinois. The case has been assigned Case ID: 1:25-cv-14652 in front of an unspecified judge within the Northern District’s Eastern Division.
Source: 125cv14652_James_Hynes_v_ABS_&_Taylor_Complaint_Northern_District_of_Illinois.pdf