US Department of Labor recovers 42K in back wages, liquidated damages for six Northern California restaurant workers after investigation

SACRAMENTO, CA – Federal investigators found that the owners of three northern California restaurants willfully denied a cook and five other workers overtime wages for hours over 40 in a workweek.

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division found that the ownership group of RMN Inc., SRMNR Inc. and MRN Inc. – joint owners of two restaurants operating as Taqueria Guadalajara and one as Taqueria Guadalajara Grill – failed to maintain accurate employee records, and did not combine hours worked across multiple locations. By doing so, they incurred overtime violations when employees worked more than 40 hours per week. Their actions violated the Fair Labor Standards Act.

“The pandemic clearly demonstrated that restaurant workers are essential, frontline workers. Many are also among the lowest-paid workers in our economy. When a restaurant employer shortchanges their workers, it hurts them and their families,” said Wage and Hour Division District Director Cesar Avila in Sacramento, California. “We encourage all employers to review their pay practices and to contact us for information about how to avoid violations like those found in this case.”

The division’s investigation led to the recovery of $42,496 in back wages and liquidated damages to six workers after the employer failed to pay them overtime wages as the Fair Labor Standards Act requires. In addition, the division also assessed $4,230 in penalties for the employer’s willful violations.

In fiscal year 2021, the Wage and Hour Division recovered more than $31.7 million in back wages for workers in the food service industry.

The division enforces the law regardless of a worker’s immigration status and can speak confidentially with callers in more than 200 languages. For more information about the FLSA and other laws enforced by the division, contact its toll-free helpline at 866-4US-WAGE (487-9243). Learn more about the Wage and Hour Division, including a search tool to use if you think you may be owed back wages collected by the division.