Just a few weeks after Per Se settled a wage theft investigation, another notable NYC restaurant is thrown into the fire for a similar accusation. Bushwick hotspot Roberta's has been accused of wage theft by a kitchen worker who says he was denied proper compensation for overtime, reports the Daily News. It's probably safe to assume he never saw a dime from those leather tank sales either.
The employee, Ruffino Cano, claims that he was paid his regular hourly salary for time worked outside of the 40 hours per week, where federal law states that eligible employees need to be compensated at least time and a half for all hours worked outside of the regular workweek. During his shifts, Cano cleans up, does dishes and even "makes the dough" for the pizzas, according to his attorney. Cano has since filed a lawsuit against the Clinton-approved pizzeria to regain the lost wages.
"We think a large number of employees were paid off the books until 2013," Cano's attorney Brent Pelton told the Daily News. "When plaintiff complained to his supervisors...he was told that he is not entitled to overtime because he works 'off the books,'" according to the suit. We reached out to Roberta's for comment and we'll update when we hear back.
Unfortunately, Roberta's has a history of funny stuff when it comes to paying employees. An ad seeking unpaid interns was roundly criticized 2013, though the restaurant stood firm on its stance that these individuals were learning valuable farming experience in exchange for their free labor. The restaurant has also been embroiled in a legal battle amongst its owners over shared profits from the millions raked in from Bee Sting pizzas and delicious breads.
