Celebrity restaurant owners accused of unpaid overtime

Too many California workers continue to struggle with unpaid overtime and other wage and hour violations, even potentially those who work for well-known owners. The star of TV’s “Vanderpump Rules” and her husband are facing a class action lawsuit filed by a former worker at one of their restaurants, accusing them of violating the state’s labor laws. The lead plaintiff says that during three months of work as an hourly, non-exempt employee, he did not receive proper minimum wage compensation, overtime pay or mandatory breaks. You may recognize these concerns as all too familiar, whether you work at a famous restaurant or a less glamorous location.

Alleged wage and hour violations

In addition to the unpaid overtime allegations, the former employee says that workers at the restaurants did not receive mandatory final pay stubs at the end of their employment, as required by law. Nor, he says, did they receive accurate statements of their wages. California workers are required to receive this information both so that they can correctly file their taxes and can verify that they are being paid properly for all the hours that they work, including the overtime rate for hours worked in excess of 40 hours per week.

The owners deny the allegations

While the lawsuit alleges four years of wage and hour violations, the defendants dismissed the claims. They said that they are committed to following California labor laws at all of their properties. Restaurant workers may be particularly vulnerable to wage and hour violations, and many owners have been cited for wage theft as well as unpaid overtime.

Regardless of your occupation, if you are having difficulty in receiving the full amount of your pay or proper documentation, you do have rights. An employment law attorney may provide detailed advice on how you can take action to pursue what you deserve.