CHARLESTON, S.C. (AP) – A company that operates 13 Mexican restaurants in South Carolina has been ordered by a federal judge to pay $1.2 million in back wages and damages to almost 120 workers.
Media outlets report the owners of La Hacienda restaurants accepted the judgment issued by U.S. District Judge C. Weston Houck in Charleston. The company agrees it will face contempt charges if there are future labor law violations.
In one case, wages and damages owed one employee exceed $60,000.
A federal investigation found some employees were not paid overtime and at times paid below the minimum wage. The government also alleged that La Hacienda required servers to give part of their tips to management and didn’t pay three servers who received tips.
An attorney for the owners would not comment.
