The company that owns several Jimmy John’s stores in the Twin Cities will appeal a judge panel’s ruling that would require it to reinstate six workers fired last year, the company said Tuesday.

The workers were fired after posting fliers that claimed customers were at risk of illness because of the franchise’s sick-day policy, which required workers to find their own replacement if they were sick.

MikLin Enterprises, Inc., the company that runs the franchises, will seek an appeal, believing the ruling was a legal error, spokeswoman Amy Rotenberg said Tuesday.

A ruling by a panel of National Labor Relations Board judges issued Friday would require MikLin to reinstate the workers within 14 days, as well as give them back pay.

About 12 former and present Jimmy John’s workers picketed outside the Block E shop in downtown Minneapolis on Tuesday to urge the owners, Rob and Mike Mulligan, to comply with the NLRB’s order.

Max Specktor, one of the workers fired last March, said demonstrators hoped to speak with the Mulligans, who co-own 10 Jimmy John’s shops in the Twin Cities area. Since the owners weren’t there, picketers gave a letter to management requesting compliance with the judge’s order, he said. At that point, Specktor said he hadn’t heard of MikLin’s decision to appeal the ruling.