Connecticut Restaurant Penalized for Violating the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA)

After an investigation by the Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD), Nolita Risorante’s owner has paid $19,657 in back wages and an equal amount in liquidated damages to 14 current and former employees to resolve violations of FLSA.

  • Oct 21, 2019

A Connecticut restaurant violated the Fair Labor Standards Act by failing to adequately and appropriately pay its employees. Nolita LLC—operating as Nolita Ristorante in East Hartford, Connecticut—and owner Vishal Sharma has paid $19,657 in back wages and in liquidated damages to 14 current and former employees.

An investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor’s WHD discovered the offense. It found the employers as guilty of failing to pay the federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour for all the hours the employees worked. Some dishwashers and front-of-the-house employees were paid flat weekly salaries in cash that did not cover all the hours they worked at the minimum wage.

This practice also resulted in overtime violations when the employer failed to record or pay for all of the hours that some employees worked. Furthermore, the employers also failed to meet recordkeeping requirements when they did not keep accurate time and payroll records as required by law.

“Employers must pay their employees all the wages they have legally earned,” said Wage and Hour District Director David R. Gerrain in Hartford, Connecticut. “Our goal is to ensure that employers have the tools they need to comply with the law, which levels the playing field for law-abiding competitors in the restaurant industry.”

There are resources for employers to avoid and resolve overtime or minimum wage violations. Employers can self-report and resolve violations without litigation through the PAID program. For more information about the FLSA and other laws enforced by the Division, contact its toll-free helpline at 866-4US-WAGE (487-9243). Information is also available at https://www.dol.gov/whd including a search tool to use if you think you may be owed back wages collected by the Division.

Read the official WHD news release on the topic here.

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