U.S. Department of Labor Investigation Results in Two Indiana Restaurants Paying $162,254 in Back Wages and Damages to 12 Employees

BLOOMINGTON, IN – After an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division (WHD), Ji Enterprises will pay $81,127 in back wages and an equal amount in liquidated damages to 12 current and former employees at two of its Bloomington, Indiana, restaurants – Restaurant Ami and Toto's Uncle.

• Minimum wage violations resulting from paying employees $7 per hour during training, less than the federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour;
• Overtime violations when some employees worked more than 40 hours in a workweek without being paid overtime at one-and-one-half times their hourly rates, or were incorrectly classified as exempt from overtime and paid a flat salary; and
• Recordkeeping violations resulting from the employer's failure to accurately record the number of hours employees worked.

"This investigation found a significant amount of back wages due and demonstrates the U.S. Department of Labor's commitment to ensure employees receive all the wages they have legally earned," said Wage and Hour Division District Director Patricia Lewis, in Indianapolis. "We encourage employers to make use of the many tools the Division provides to help them understand their obligations, and to contact us for assistance."

Ji Enterprises will pay 10 employees of Restaurant Ami a total of $148,367 and two employees of Toto's Uncle a total of $13,887, representing both back wages and liquidated damages.