The California Labor Commissioner’s Office has obtained a $2 million settlement from Fresno-based restaurant Pearl B-Star, Inc. dba Lin’s Fusion for wages allegedly owed to 32 restaurant employees.
The commissioner’s Bureau of Field Enforcement (BOFE) found that workers, many of them immigrants, received wages in cash and were not compensated for overtime, split shifts, meal periods, and contract wages.
The Employment Development Department (EDD) and the Joint Enforcement Strike Force (JESF) also participated in the investigation.
Labor Commissioner Lilia Garcia-Brower stated: “When enforcement agencies work together, we are best able to protect workers. In this case systemic violations were detected, the perpetrating employer was held accountable, and workers are receiving owed wages. We look forward to continuing to collaborate on many cases to protect workers and law-abiding employers.”
Take-Aways: It is vital to comply with all applicable wage-related laws regardless of immigration status. Our firm can conduct friendly reviews of company wage, hour and documentation practices before any government agency comes knocking with real or imagined employee grievances and millions in potential damages.
For further information, please contact Tim Bowles, Cindy Bamforth or Helena Kobrin.
See also:
- Freedom Between the Lines, Workplace Policy Handbook & Forms for 2024 (March 15, 2024)
- California Invests $18 Million to Prosecute Wage Theft (March 8, 2024)
- We Offer an Ounce of Prevention, Make a Wage Audit a Priority (February 15, 2024)
Cindy Bamforth
April 10, 2024