When the business of any person, corporation, company or firm shall be suspended by the action of creditors, or be placed in the custody of a receiver or trustee, then in all such cases the debts owing to laborers or servants which have accrued by reason of their labor or employment and all funds due and unpaid to the trustees for the beneficiaries of any pension or retirement plan, shall be considered and treated as preferred claims, and such laborers, employees or trustees shall be preferred creditors, and shall be first paid in full, and if there be not sufficient to pay them in full the same shall be paid from the proceeds of the sale of the property seized: Provided, that any person interested may contest any such claim or claims, or any part thereof, by filing objections thereto, supported by affidavit, with the officer having the custody of such property, and thereupon the claimant shall be required to reduce his or her claim to judgment in the circuit court before any part thereof shall be paid.