JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A Jacksonville Mexican restaurant owes more than $118,000 after the operator allegedly forced at least 10 servers to work for tips alone denied overtime wages to others and failed to keep accurate records of the hours employees worked, according to a U.S. Department of Labor investigation.
According to a news release, an investigation found that E & E Quezada Food Services Corp., operator of Rosy’s Mexican Restaurant in the Mandarin area, also failed to pay overtime to dishwashers, cooks and certain servers for hours worked over 40 in a workweek. Investigators discovered the employer also failed to maintain accurate payroll records, the release states.
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The division also found Rosy’s allowed a 15-year-old employee to work after 7 p.m. during the school week, a violation of the Fair Labor Standards Act’s work hour standards for workers under 16.
“By denying servers a cash wage and forcing them to live on tips alone and denying other workers their overtime pay, Rosy’s Mexican Restaurant made it harder for these employees, who depend on every dollar, to take care of themselves and their families,” said Wage and Hour Division District Office Director Wildalí De Jesús in Orlando. “The Wage and Hour Division is available to help workers and employers alike understand their rights and responsibilities. Violations like those found in this case can be easily avoided.”
Investigators learned of the employer’s alleged practices through the Employment Education and Outreach alliance. The alliance is a collaboration of community and non-governmental organizations, including state, local, and federal agencies and Hispanic consulates that provides information and assistance to Spanish-speaking employees and employers regarding workplace rights and responsibilities. Workers and employers can reach EMPLEO by calling (877) 522-9832 or (877) 55-AYUDA.