Post by Logan on May 3, 2016 2:23:34 GMT -6
CHARLESTON -- Before the U.S. Department of Labor launched its investigation of wage theft at the La Hacienda restaurant chain, Raquel Bruno’s co-workers had urged her to call the authorities. The Mexico City-born bartender spoke fluent English, and she had papers allowing her to work legally. Tell them we’re not getting paid what we’re supposed to, her co-workers said.
Bruno didn’t call. And she didn’t give up her job at Poblanos, even after a boss demoted her because she wasn’t young and pretty.
“I didn’t argue, because that’s not my style,” says Bruno, 41. “I needed the job. I felt like it wasn’t fair. I knew that it wasn’t fair. But at the time, my personal life wasn’t allowing me to find another job.”
According to Bruno, managers routinely confiscated 5 percent of her tips: “The more I would make, the more I would lose.” Now a U.S. District Court judge has ruled that Bruno is entitled to $27,819.20 in back wages and damages; Bruno is one of 119 employees covered by the Apr. 18 judgment against La Hacienda. In total, the workers will collect nearly $1.2 million.
Read more: www.postandcourier.com/20160502/160509997/former-la-hacienda-workers-reflect-on-wage-theft-judgment
Bruno didn’t call. And she didn’t give up her job at Poblanos, even after a boss demoted her because she wasn’t young and pretty.
“I didn’t argue, because that’s not my style,” says Bruno, 41. “I needed the job. I felt like it wasn’t fair. I knew that it wasn’t fair. But at the time, my personal life wasn’t allowing me to find another job.”
According to Bruno, managers routinely confiscated 5 percent of her tips: “The more I would make, the more I would lose.” Now a U.S. District Court judge has ruled that Bruno is entitled to $27,819.20 in back wages and damages; Bruno is one of 119 employees covered by the Apr. 18 judgment against La Hacienda. In total, the workers will collect nearly $1.2 million.
Read more: www.postandcourier.com/20160502/160509997/former-la-hacienda-workers-reflect-on-wage-theft-judgment