The U.S. Department of Labor has recovered $41,279 in back wages for five workers denied minimum wage and overtime pay by a restaurant in Weatherford, Texas.
The department's Wage and Hour Division found that Antonio’s Homestyle Cooking claimed a tip credit, but did not pay at least the required $2.13 per hour for all hours worked by the restaurant’s servers. Specifically, the employer did not pay for any hours over 40 in a work week, in violation of the minimum wage and overtime provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act.
The employer also failed to keep accurate employee time records, another FLSA violation.
“Denying wages rightfully earned by workers in this low-wage industry is wage theft, plain and simple,” said Dallas Wage and Hour District Director Jesus Valdez. “Compliance issues like these are all-too-common in the food service industry, and industry employers should review their legal obligations carefully to avoid the negative consequences that violations found in a U.S. Department of Labor investigation can cause.”
