Ongoing DOL NY Restaurant Investigation Finding Repeated Violations
In a further example of industry-specific targeting for wage and hour violations, the Department of Labor issued a press release regarding a multi-year investigation of the full-service restaurant industry on Long Island, NY, finding multiple violations in numerous establishments.
The Department of Labor’s ongoing enforcement initiative found widespread noncompliance with various provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act including minimum wage, overtime and record-keeping in full-service Long Island restaurants.
Thus far, the DOL has completed 46 investigations and recovered $2,341,507.00 in back wages for 578 employees. The DOL has also found willful and repeated FLSA violations for which it assessed $202,315.00 in civil money penalties.
The investigation is still on-going and is yet another example of the fact that industry practice does not make perfect. Just because others in your field are paying their employees in a particular manner, does not necessarily guarantee that such is acceptable under the law.
