Noel Cintron, President Donald Trump’s personal driver has accused the President of the United States of refusing to pay him overtime for twenty-five years and only increasing his salary twice in fifteen years; the second raise saw him lose his health benefits.
The President’s personal driver who is a registered member of the Republican Party went ahead to sue the Trump Organization for about 3,300 hours of overtime he says were accumulated over the last six years; the statute of limitations prevents him from suing for overtime prior to six years ago.
Cintron alleges that he was exploited by Trump and his businesses “…In an utterly callous display of unwarranted privilege and entitlement and without even a minimal sense of noblesse oblige,”
The driver’s accusations come on the heels of other employees in the service of Donald Trump who has sued the president and his business claiming to have been underpaid or uncompensated for their work after promises were made by the President. The list of disgruntled former employees includes; mortgage brokers, landscapers and electricians who say they were cheated out of commissions and fees.
The driver said his duty started at 7 am each day each day until whenever Trump, his family or business associates no longer required his services. His working hours extended to 55 hours per week; he was paid a fixed salary of $62,700 in 2003, $68,000 in 2006, and $75,000 in 2010, according to the complaint he filed.
Speaking on the increase in wages, Cintron alleged that it came with a clause; He was induced to surrender his health insurance thereby saving Trump approximately $17,866 per year in premiums.
“President Trump’s further callousness and cupidity is further demonstrated by the fact that while he is purportedly a billionaire, he has not given his personal driver a meaningful raise in over 12 years!”
Just last year, a luxury golf resort in Florida belonging to the President’s real estate company was ordered by an appeals court to pay more than $32,000 to a supply company that claimed it wasn’t paid for paint that was used to maintain the property.
A statement from the Trump Organisation spokesperson, Amanda Miller reads “…Mr. Cintron was at all times paid generously and in accordance with the law. Once the facts come out we expect to be fully vindicated in court.”
Cintron who is 59, started working for Donald Trump 30 years ago, working his way up to driving the President- Elect personally until he became the President and the Secret Service took over.
He further alleged that the Trump Organization failed to provide annual wage notices as required by New York law and is seeking about $200,000 in damages.
The case is Cintron v. Trump Organization LLC, Supreme Court, State of New York (Manhattan).