Before that, a federal investigation successfully secured back wages for employees of a sushi burrito chain.
Kazu Sushi Burrito, which has locations in Jacksonville and St. Johns, has paid $215,190 to 100 employees. The payments were made after the U.S. Department of Labor found the fast food chain in violation of federal labor laws.
The investigation revealed several ways in which employees were not receiving the full amount of income to which they were entitled. According to federal officials, Kazu Sushi Burrito kept a portion of the tips customers left for employees. In addition, some employees were paid less than the federal minimum wage of $7.25 an hour.
To make matters worse, these employees, who already earn less than the minimum wage, are not paid overtime. Officials said these workers were not being paid properly even though they worked more than 40 hours a week, a clear violation of the Fair Labor Standards Act.
The DOL announced the recovery of these back wages in a February 21, 2023 press release. This action underscores the Department’s commitment to ensuring that restaurant workers receive every dollar they earn.
Wildalí De Jesús, director of the Orlando office of the Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division, spoke enthusiastically about the importance of these cases. “Restaurant workers are often victims of wage theft by their employers,” she said. Her comments highlighted the challenges faced by many workers in the industry.
Director De Jesús emphasized the real impact these wages have on people’s lives. “These workers depend on every dollar they earn to support themselves and their families,” she said, adding unequivocally that ”there is no excuse for an employer to willfully deprive these hard-working people of their legitimately earned wages.
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While this case focuses on Kazu Sushi Burrito, it unfortunately points to a broader problem. Wage theft continues to be a serious problem across the country, especially in the restaurant industry. Workers rely heavily on tips and a fair hourly wage to make ends meet, and when employers fail to fulfill their legal obligations, the effects can be devastating.
From the background information provided alone, we see other instances where the Department of Labor has intervened. For example, in a separate investigation, an ice cream franchise in Panama City Beach illegally withheld tips from more than 100 employees, resulting in an order to pay $169,638 in back wages.
Recovering stolen wages is no easy task, however, and other examples in the article illustrate the difficulties workers can face. That’s why successful enforcement actions like Kazu Sushi Burrito are so important.
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Returning more than $215,000 to 100 employees is a remarkable result. It’s a powerful reminder that federal labor laws exist to protect workers and that enforcement can truly ensure that people are paid fairly for their hard work. Every dollar earned should go to employees so they can provide for themselves and their loved ones.
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