US Department of Labor recovers $110K for 19 workers after investigation finds Tennessee steakhouse denied them overtime wages as required

Employer:     

Dyersburg Grecian Steakhouse Inc., operating as Grecian Steakhouse

2265 St. John Ave.

Dyersburg, TN 38024

Investigation findings: U.S. Department of Labor investigators found Grecian Steakhouse paid some employees straight-time rates for all hours worked. By doing so, the employer failed to pay the employees the time-and-a-half rate for hours over 40 in a workweek, a Fair Labor Standards Act violation. Grecian Steakhouse also paid one cook a weekly salary but failed to pay the worker an overtime premium for hours over 40 in a workweek. The employer also failed to keep records of employees’ hours worked, another FLSA violation.

Back wages and liquidated damages owed to workers:    $110,790 to 19 employees.

Quote: “When it comes to paying workers overtime, the law is very clear and leaves no excuse for an employer to shortchange workers of their lawfully earned wages,” said Wage and Hour Division District Director Lisa Kelly in Nashville, Tennessee. “The division offers many resources online to explain employers’ obligations and workers’ rights. We also welcome calls or emails to our local offices to provide additional information.”

Background: In fiscal year 2022, the Wage and Hour Division recovered more than $27.1 million for more than 22,000 workers in the food service industry. 

Employers can contact the Wage and Hour Division at its toll-free number, 1-866-4-US-WAGE. Learn more about the Wage and Hour Division. Workers can call the Wage and Hour Division confidentially with questions – regardless of their immigration status – and the department can speak with callers in more than 200 languages. Workers and employers alike can help ensure hours worked and pay are accurate by downloading the department’s Android Timesheet App for free, which is available in English and Spanish.