Huntsville – About 150 guest workers from Nepal left jobs at a Cinram plant in search of better-paying employment and didn't steal furniture when they departed, as previously claimed, according to an Alabama resident who befriended the immigrants.
The Huntsville Times reported Monday that a letter from the agency that hired more than 200 Nepalese workers said they were free to leave at any time.
The Times said a form letter from their employer, Ambassador Personnel, was sent November 29th saying their employment was "at-will" and added: "Employees are free to relinquish their positions at any time, with or without cause."
Some of the workers, paid $8 an hour to label and pack DVDs at Cinram's Huntsville plant, have said they were not getting as many hours as hoped after the holidays.
Officials with Ambassador Personnel and Cinram said last week the workers returned to Nepal early out of homesickness.
Federal immigration officials said the missing worker case is being checked out.
(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)