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 Archive: Fair Labor/Wage and Hour
Aug 09 2012
Defending Wage Claims Gets More Complicated With NY Ruling
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, …
Apr 13 2012
Restaurant Workers Suit: I Was Harassed By Dumplings!
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 …
Dec 01 2011
Feds Hit Long Island Restaurants Hard for Fair Wage Claims
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. …
Nov 01 2011
Lawsuit Against Mario Batali’s Restaurants Heating Up
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 …

