El Tequila restaurant owners to pay employees approximately $1 million
A recent investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division revealed El Tequila restaurant owner Carlos Aguirre is accused of not properly paying employees at three locations across Tulsa, Oklahoma, and is allegedly expected to pay approximately $1 million for lost wages. According to the division's findings, 221 employees were not receiving the wages they were owed because their employer was violating the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) overtime, minimum wage and recordkeeping provisions.
In this case, El Tequila kitchen staff employees claim they were paid a salary instead of hourly wages and were denied overtime remuneration even though they sometimes worked at many as 72 hours during a single pay period. Although some chefs are considered exempt as professional employees, most cooks and other kitchen staff members are not. Therefore, they must receive one-and-a-half times their standard hourly earnings for any employee attendance that exceeds 40 hours in a week.
"The restaurant industry employs some of our country's lowest-paid, most vulnerable workers," said Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis. "When violations of the FLSA are discovered, the Labor Department will take appropriate action to ensure workers receive the wages they have earned and to which they are legally entitled."
Restaurant owners can ensure their payroll practices are in compliance by installing an advanced timekeeping system that calculates the correct wages for each position in the business.
In this case, El Tequila kitchen staff employees claim they were paid a salary instead of hourly wages and were denied overtime remuneration even though they sometimes worked at many as 72 hours during a single pay period. Although some chefs are considered exempt as professional employees, most cooks and other kitchen staff members are not. Therefore, they must receive one-and-a-half times their standard hourly earnings for any employee attendance that exceeds 40 hours in a week.
"The restaurant industry employs some of our country's lowest-paid, most vulnerable workers," said Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis. "When violations of the FLSA are discovered, the Labor Department will take appropriate action to ensure workers receive the wages they have earned and to which they are legally entitled."
Restaurant owners can ensure their payroll practices are in compliance by installing an advanced timekeeping system that calculates the correct wages for each position in the business.
All data and information provided on this news blog is for informational purposes only. Infinisource makes no representations as to accuracy, completeness, suitability, or validity of any information on this site and will not be liable for any errors, omissions, or delays in this information or any losses, injuries, or damages arising from its display or use. All information is provided on an as-is basis. Information regarding employment suits and other legal action is not updated after publication, and may not be current.