A popular Sonoma County chef denied three workers at its Healdsburg, California establishment of more than $35,000 in overtime wages, according to the U.S. Department of Labor.
Investigators in the department’s Wage and Hour Division say chef Octavio Diaz shortchanged three employees at Agave Mexican Restaurant and Bar by depriving them of overtime pay and paying them instead a flat salary regardless of how many hours they worked.
The division also found the employer reportedly paid one worker less than minimum wage after once missing payroll and failed to produce all required records, such as employees’ dates of birth, including for those under the age of 16.
The division recovered a total of $71,454, representing $35,727 in unpaid wages and an equal amount in liquidated damages, and assessed $11,212 in civil money penalties given the employer’s willful violations.
Topics California
Was this article valuable?
Here are more articles you may enjoy.
Surplus Lines Commercial Growth; Fla. Litigation Costs Reach New High in 2023 
Viewpoint: Deepfake Fraud Is On the Rise. Here’s How Insurers Can Respond 
Man Admits to Tracking Drivers, Programming Keys, Stealing and Reselling Vehicles 
Progressive Q2 Net Income Skyrockets Over 320% 
