The French Laundry, the three-Michelin-starred restaurant helmed by renowned chef Thomas Keller, has been sued by a former employee who alleges wage theft and other labor law violations at the Yountville, Calif., eatery.
The suit, brought by Elena Flores Beteta, a dishwasher at the restaurant for three years beginning in 2022, alleges that the French Laundry Restaurant Corp. and the Thomas Keller Restaurant Group violated labor laws by failing to pay minimum wage or overtime hours, as well as neglecting to provide mandated rest breaks or access to proper resting facilities or break rooms.
“Plaintiff was required to work off the clock, work through meal and rest periods without compensation, received pay stubs that failed to accurately reflect her hours and premium wages, and was not paid final wages upon separation,” the complaint said…