Newark Restaurant Fined $168K For Failing To Pay Workers In Overtime

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, Swahili Village Bar and Grill in Newark willfully failed to pay 84 servers, cooks, and bussers overtime pay when they worked more than 40 hours in a workweek, in violation of the Fair Labor Standards Act.

“Restaurant industry workers too often fall victim to employers who shortchange their wages and deprive them of their hard-earned wages,” said Wage and Hour District Director Paula Ruffin in Mountainside, New Jersey.

“When the pay practices of employers like Swahili Village Bar and Grill violate federal law, we will hold them accountable and do all we can to recover the wages owed to employees.”

• Back Wages Recovered: $62,335 in overtime wages for 84 employees
• Liquidated Damages Recovered: $62,335 in liquidated damages for 84 employees
• Civil Money Penalties Assessed: $44,100 in civil money penalties for willful violations

Workers can use the division’s Workers Owed Wages search tool to see if they are owed back wages collected by the division. Employers and workers can contact the Wage and Hour Division for assistance at its toll-free number, 1-866-4-US-WAGE.

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