When California workers have monetary goals they want to reach, they may scrape and save every dime that they earn. However, they may notice that it is taking longer to reach their goals than they had hoped. In some cases, they may simply face more expenses than expected, but in other instances, they may not be receiving their full compensation due to wage theft.
It was recently reported that over 1,000 workers in two other states were affected by this type of action. Reports indicated that the owner of a chain restaurant with 15 locations across the states had committed multiple wage and hour violations. Workers indicated that minimum wage was not met due to non-tipped workers receiving a portion of the tip pool, and they also stated that they were not given overtime pay and charged double for meals taken while on shift.
The U.S. Department of Labor reportedly took action against the restaurant owner in 2015. The owner only recently came to an agreement regarding a settlement, and the amount involved in that agreement was reportedly $5 million. It was noted that the court still needs to approve the terms.
When individuals do not receive their full pay, they can face financial difficulty, especially when they are living paycheck to paycheck. As this case shows, it may be necessary for legal action to take place in order for employees to obtain their rightful compensation. If California workers believe that their employers have committed wage theft, they may want to find out more information on how to address the predicaments.
Source: thedailymeal.com, “Houlihan’s Owner Will Pay $5 Million in Wage Theft Settlement“, Taylor Rock, April 4, 2018