BRADFORD, Vt. (WCAX) – A Bradford restaurant faces upwards of $290,00 in fines and damages following an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor into wage and labor violations.
Authorities say the Colatina Exit restaurant unlawfully included managers in its tip pool and also failed to pay workers time-and-a-half for overtime, violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act. Investigators also found the restaurant employed two 17-year-old delivery drivers to make time-sensitive deliveries, a violation of federal child labor regulations.
“Colatina Exit’s illegal employment practices hurt workers and undercut law-abiding employers who treat their employees fairly. The law requires that tips go to employees, not their manager,” Wage and Hour Division District Director Steven McKinney said in a statement. “We will take all necessary action to protect workers and ensure they receive the wages they are owed.”
Officials say a server who was fired after refusing to share tips with management, will receive $50,00 in punitive damages and $829 in back pay.
As part of an administrative settlement, the restaurant also paid $119,605 in back wages and an equal amount in liquidated damages to 43 employees. They also paid $28,132 in civil penalties for the child labor violations and $3,393 in penalties for the tip violations.