In a case that establishes the potential results of violating State wage and hour laws, refinery workers have reached a $15.5 million deal to resolve their class action against ConocoPhillips Co. that accused the company of failing to provide them with meal breaks during which they were relieved of all duties, the plaintiffs told a […]
Category: Restaurant and Hospitality Law
Like many statutes that are passed to correct a societal wrong, creative members of the legal community find a way to monetize the situation. The American with Disabilities Act (ADA) was passed with the noblest of intentions -to make sure that places of public accommodation were accessible to the handicapped. Who could argue with that? […]
Beef Products Inc., the makers of “lean, finely textured beef” as the product is officially called has filed a $1.2 Billion lawsuit against ABC News over its coverage of “pink slime” beef. Six individuals were also sued, including ABC News anchor Diane Sawyer, and the reporters Jim Avila and David Kerley. Another defendant is Gerald […]
Federal courts are seeing a wave of Wage Claim Litigation under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) as lawyers for workers get more aggressive in light of stronger Federal and State wage and hour rules. Car washes, restaurants and supermarkets are particularly facing a barrage of challenges brought by their workers revolving around tip claims, […]
Looks like upscale NYC Chinese restaurant, Chin Chin, may be headed for an “X” rating instead of its current “A” from the NYC Dept. of Health if a former worker’s allegations are borne out! A former bartender filed a Federal lawsuit last week alleging that kitchen workers repeatedly harassed her by flashing penis-shaped dumplings at […]
Owners of bars, nightclubs, restaurants and other venues that play background music or have live music at their establishments should take note of the Ninth Circuit’s decision last month in Range Road Music v. East Coast Foods where it held up a large award against a restaurant that refused to pay a licensing fee for […]
In any case anybody hasn’t been paying attention, Federal and State Departments of Labor (DOL) have been hitting restaurants for Fair Wage Claims very aggressively in 2011. Trust me, it won’t slow down in 2012. Yesterday’s Newsday reported that the Federal DOL had reached a settlement with over 30 restaurants totaling $2.3 Million in claims. […]
In May of this year, NY Federal Judge Richard Howell dealt a huge blow to famed restauranteur Mario Batali and his partner Joseph Bastianich by granting class action certification to a lawsuit filed by about a dozen or so employees of their famed eateries. The Wage and Hour lawsuit makes several claims against the pair […]