Signature Room Owners Accused Of Moving Assets To Avoid Paying Workers, New Lawsuit Says
A new lawsuit alleges the owners of the Signature Room transferred assets to avoid paying over $1.5 million owed to former employees.Summary
The owners of the Signature Room, Rick Roman and Nick Pyknis, are facing a new lawsuit accusing them of transferring assets from their hospitality company, Infusion Management, to another entity, RSR Capital Group, to avoid paying over $1.5 million in back pay and benefits to former employees. A federal judge previously ordered Infusion Management to pay this amount after finding they violated the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act by abruptly closing the restaurant in September 2023 without the required 60-day notice.
The lawsuit, filed by UNITE HERE Local 1, claims Roman and Pyknis used the transferred assets to pay personal debts instead of fulfilling their obligations to the workers. James P’Pool, a former server who worked at the Signature Room for 17 years, expressed frustration over the lack of payment and described the closure as a “traumatic” experience. He and over 100 colleagues were left jobless with no warning.
The complaint seeks to hold RSR Capital Group and the owners personally liable, arguing that they misused company assets for personal gain. Attempts to reach Roman and Pyknis for comment were unsuccessful. Meanwhile, 360 Chicago has purchased the space and plans to develop a multi-level observation deck and event venue.
(Source：Block Club Chicago)