California Labor Commissioner Reaches $339,716 Settlement For Unpaid Wages At San Francisco Restaurants, Includes Penalty If Retaliation Occurs

SAN FRANCISCO, Dec. 3, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- California Labor Commissioner Julie A. Su has reached a $339,716 settlement involving unpaid overtime and minimum wages for employees at Xue's Restaurant, Inc. and Liu's Restaurant, Inc. dba Tsing Tao Restaurant in San Francisco.

This settlement follows the issuance of citations in June and August for unpaid minimum wage, overtime and failure to provide itemized payroll statements including deductions for 28 workers at Tsing Tao's Clement Street and Fillmore Street locations.

The Department of Industrial Relations' (DIR) Division of Labor Standards Enforcement, also known as the Labor Commissioner's Office, helped the parties reach a settlement.  The Labor Commissioner's office began its investigation of the restaurants last June after receiving a referral from San Francisco's Office of Labor Standards Enforcement. 

" California workers deserve to be paid everything they are owed for their work," said DIR Director Christine Baker. "Employers who deny their workers the pay they are rightfully owed will be held accountable to remedy the issue and restore wages due."

The settlement stipulates that the employer pay each of the 28 workers their amount of wages owed as well as penalties assessed for the violations, a total of $260,066. Workers will each receive between $2,000 and $36,547.

"This settlement sends a strong message to employers who fail to pay their workers everything they are owed," said Labor Commissioner Julie A. Su. "State law sets a wage floor under which no one should be forced to work and prohibits employers from playing fast and loose with workers' paychecks to avoid paying them properly."

The settlement also signals the employer's acknowledgment of their legal obligations going forward. Tsing Tao has agreed to maintain accurate records on a daily basis of hours worked and to provide employees with accurate wage statements as required by law.

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