HOUSTON Five restaurants in Houston have agreed to pay a total of $334,146 in back pay to 154 current and former workers after an over-time investigation by the U.S. Labor Department.
The Houston probe found employees were being paid straight time for all hours worked, including those worked over 40 hours in a workweek. Employers also paid non-exempt employees on a salary basis without the additional half-time premium for hours worked over 40 in a workweek.
“In these cases, employees were found to be earning hourly rates that fell below the federal minimum wage,” said Cynthia Watson, regional administrator for Labor Department’s wage and hour division in the Southwest. The money goes to wait staff, bus staff, kitchen and management employees who were found to be earning less than the $7.25 an hour federal minimum wage.
The restaurants, number of employees and back wages paid were:
- Café 101, owned by Pearl Castle, paid 15 employees $36,087.
- Bodard Bistro, owned by NHL Investment Inc., paid nine employees $70,280.
- Tan Tan Restaurant, owned by Mypa’s Holding Corp., paid 108 employees $106,398.
- Arirang Korean Restaurant, owned by Chang Kun Corp., paid nine employees $28,127.
- Tay Do, owned by Trans Family Inc., paid 13 employees $93,254.
The department said all five restaurants cooperated with the investigations and agreed to future Fair Labor Standards Act compliance. Back wages were paid in full.
Contact Ron Ruggless at [email protected].
