The Yale Daily News cited data from the Connecticut Department of Labor indicating New Haven, Conn., hotspot Gourmet Heaven violated several time and attendance regulations covered by the Fair Labor Relations Act. Owners of Gourmet Heaven, a combined restaurant and convenience store with several locations in the city, the publication reported, improperly classified staff as independent contractors, resulting in employees not receiving overtime wages or a pay rate on par with the federal minimum wage.

Moreover, the employer failed to keep accurate time and attendance records. Representatives from the Wage and Workplace Standards Division explained the owners knowingly dodged tax laws, which resulted in both locations being shut down until proper payroll documentation was submitted to state officials. Gary Pechie, director of the division, indicated Gourmet Heaven would be fined $300 for every week employees were misclassified and were improperly compensated. With charges dating back 4 years, the restaurant will face significant financial penalties.

In a previous incident, the employer was forced to pay more than $5,000 in fees for hiring workers who lacked proper documentation to work in the U.S. resulting from a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement investigation, according to the New Haven Independent.

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