The US Division of Labor discovered that the Wisconsin restaurant operator brought on greater than $272,000 in wage cuts for greater than 100 workers.

Biwaki, Wisconsin – The US Division of Labor discovered that the operator of 4 Wisconsin eating places violated quite a few federal laws, denying 110 servers, cooks and different workers wages and suggestions and hiring three minors to work late and longer hours than permitted by regulation.

Investigators with the division’s wages and hours division decided that Casa Tequila LLC of Pewaukee and proprietor Maria Campuzano operated an invalid tip pool at his Pewaukee restaurant, did not pay the suitable time beyond regulation pay charge when obligatory and miscalculated time beyond regulation wages owed to sure workers. Along with Pewaukee, the investigation lined the employer’s eating places in Hartford, Waukesha, and West Bend.

The division discovered that Casa Tequila owed the affected workers a complete of $272,177 in again wages.

explains Christine Tutt, hourly and pay division supervisor in Minneapolis. Eating places typically make use of people who find themselves not conscious of their authorized rights and protections as staff and could also be afraid to lift or report issues. Staff involved about their employers’ pay practices might contact the Wage and Hour Division, anonymously if they want, to ask questions and higher perceive their rights.

Investigators decided that Casa Tequila violated the minimal wage, record-keeping and youngster labor provisions of the Truthful Labor Requirements Act when:

• Operation of an invalid swimming pool on the Pewaukee web site by together with kitchen workers and cooks, which aren’t thought of occupations. By doing so, the employer has misplaced its means to say the credit score for a tip towards the minimal wage and time beyond regulation obligations of workers who obtain suggestions, similar to servers.
• Based mostly on the time beyond regulation charge paid to workers who’re tipped on their money pay as an alternative of the minimal wage, this resulted in time beyond regulation violations.
• It fails to incorporate all compensation earned by Pewaukee cooks of their common hourly wage for time beyond regulation functions. As a result of the employer illegally included the cooks within the tip pool, the ideas they acquired have to be included within the regular charges of pay to find out the required time beyond regulation wages.
• Direct time charges are paid in lieu of time and a half for hours over 40 hours per workweek in any respect places.
• She employed three kids, ages 14 and 15, at 9 pm and for over 8 hours at West Bend and Waukesha places in violation of federal youngster labor requirements.
• Fails to show Truthful Labor Requirements Act posters as required.

Along with claiming again wages, the division assessed $2,373 in civil financial penalties to Casa Tequila LLC for its youngster labor violations.