News Brief
US Department of Labor recovers more than $70K in back wages for 38 Louisiana restaurant workers denied minimum wage, overtime
Employer name: Blue Agave & Brothers
Blue Apache Mexican Restaurant
Investigation site: 905 Savoy Road
Youngsville, LA 70592
Investigation findings: The U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division found the employer, Blue Agave & Brothers LLC, denied minimum wage to 38 employees at Blue Apache Mexican Restaurant by diverting tips to one of the owners creating an improper deduction to the servers’ wages and invalidating the employer’s tip credit claim. Blue Apache Mexican Restaurant also paid time and one-half the cash wage rate instead of the full minimum wage for overtime hours, which resulted in employees receiving less than the full half-time premium due for overtime hours worked. Both actions are violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act.
Back wages recovered: $70,602 in back wages
Quote: “The Wage and Hour Division continues to find and correct violations that are all-too-common for the restaurant industry’s low-wage workers,” said Wage and Hour District Director Troy Mouton in New Orleans. “Many restaurant workers depend on customers’ tips to make ends meet. When their employer deprives them of their hard-earned money, making ends meet becomes even more difficult.
