U.S. Department of Labor Investigation Results in North Central Washington Restaurant Employees Receiving $96,995

SEATTLE, WA – After an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division (WHD), Oralia Magallanes and Juan Calderon – operators of three Mexican restaurants in North Central Washington – will pay $96,995 to 32 employees for overtime violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

WHD investigators discovered that the operators of Rancho Grande Restaurant in Oroville, Rancho Grande Restaurant in Chelan, and Rancho Chico Restaurant in Tonasket paid dishwashers, cooks, and wait staff fixed salaries without regard to the number of hours they actually worked, resulting in overtime violations when employees worked more than 40 hours in a week without additional pay. The employers also failed to keep accurate time records, resulting in recordkeeping violations under the FLSA.

"Employers must pay their employees all the wages they have legally earned for all the hours they have worked," said Wage and Hour Division acting District Director Tuan Huynh in Seattle. "Ensuring that employees receive the wages they rightfully earned also guarantees that all employers compete on a fair and level playing field. We encourage all employers to reach out to us for assistance so that violations like these can be avoided."

Employers that discover overtime or minimum wage violations may self-report and resolve those violations without litigation through the PAID program. For more information about the FLSA and other laws enforced by the Wage and Hour Division, contact the Division's toll-free helpline at 866-4US-WAGE (487-9243). Information is also available at https://www.dol.gov/whd including a search tool to use if you think you may be owed back wages collected by the Division.