US Department of Labor recovers $41K in back wages for five workers denied minimum wage, overtime by Weatherford restaurant employer

Employer name:                    Antonio’s Mexican Restaurant Weatherford Inc.

                                                        (operating as Antonio’s Homestyle Cooking)

Investigation site:                  1900 Santa Fe Drive

                                                         Weatherford, TX 76086

Investigation findings: The U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division found Antonio’s Homestyle Cooking in Weatherford claimed a tip credit, but did not pay at least the required $2.13 per hour for all hours worked by the restaurant’s servers. Specifically, the employer did not pay for any hours over 40 in a workweek, in violation of the minimum wage and overtime provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act. The employer also failed to keep accurate employee time records, another FLSA violation.

Back wages recovered:         $41,279 in back wages to five workers                                             

Quote: “Denying wages rightfully earned by workers in this low-wage industry is wage theft, plain and simple,” explained the Wage and Hour District Director Jesus A. Valdez in Dallas. “Compliance issues like these are all-too-common in the food service industry, and industry employers should review their legal obligations carefully to avoid the negative consequences that violations found in a U.S. Department of Labor investigation can cause.”