Going out to eat is a nice treat, and Bay Area residents rely on the men and women in the food service industry to make the experience a pleasant one. Preparing and serving good food and providing prompt friendly service can set a restaurant apart from competitors. Men and women in the food service industry work hard but are sometimes the victims of wage and hour violations.
Recently, an investigation revealed that a popular restaurant in North Carolina was not paying employees properly. Some of the employees had worked hours of overtime but were not paid the rate they deserved. One man worked overtime but was only paid a regular hourly wage because he worked as both a busser and a food runner, and the hours were not combined on his paycheck.
Other employees had a different grievance. The restaurant had decided to purchase new uniforms for the employees but decided to deduct the cost from the employees’ paychecks. This caused the employees to earn below the federal minimum wage after the cost of the clothing was subtracted. The restaurant will have to pay about $17,000 back to the employees.
Hard-working Bay Area employees rely on an employer to treat them fairly and make sure they are paid accordingly. When an employer fails to do so, an employee may want to take action. Wage and hour violations are against the law, and a victimized employee has the right to use the legal system to recoup monetary compensation. In many cases, an experienced attorney can help a client hold an employer accountable in a court of law.
