Former Plasco executives sue waste-to-energy company over lost wages

Two former employees of Plasco Energy Group, which promises it can convert garbage into electricity, have sued the company alleging they are owed almost $460,000 in lost wages.

Plasco continues to work on securing the financing to build a full-scale facility in Ottawa after city councillors granted the company multiple deadline extensions.

• Plasco rounder Rod Bryden steps down
• Environment committee grants another Plasco extension

During that time, the companys founder, Rod Bryden, left the company, with Ray Floyd taking over as CEO.

Plascos vice-president of project finance, EricNorgren, was also let go near the same time.

Norgren, who claimed he made more than $300,000 per year at Plasco, sued the company seeking damages of almost $425,000. Norgren has since settled but theres a gag order on the details.

Sanita Alias, who resigned in November 2013, is also suing Plasco after working at the company for eight years.

Alias, who was the director of human resources, claims she never received a performance bonus and seeks $35,000 in damages. Neither she nor her lawyer was available for comment.

But in Aliass statement of claim, she states Plasco paid her performance bonus from 2007 to 2012, but she is due the pro-rated amount for 2013 before she quit.

Alias said the bonus was a major part of her expected salary.

None of the allegations have been proven in court.

The statement of defence for Plasco Energy Group states "the plaintiff forfeited any right to the bonus awarded in January of 2014, as the plaintiff had voluntarily ceased to be a Plasco employee months before the 2013 bonuses were decided upon and rewarded."

Plasco has a contract with the City of Ottawa worth about $9 million a year, but it has already missed two deadlines to secure the necessary financing for a large waste-processing plant on Trim Road.

Plasco received another extension at the end of August 2013 until December 2014.

Plasco did not respond to calls from CBC News.