Federal labor watchdogs have ordered an Austin taco restaurant and bar to hand over nearly $64,000 in back wages after finding workers were shorted on overtime and had the cost of their uniforms taken out of their paychecks.
El Beto’s Tacos LLC, which operates as Beto’s Restaurant and Bar, paid $63,645 to eight employees after investigators concluded staff were not properly paid for all the hours they worked. The payout, announced this week, puts the spotlight once again on how closely regulators are watching wage rules in the restaurant industry, especially for tipped workers.
Federal Investigators Found Unpaid Overtime And Improper Deductions
According to a U.S. Department of Labor news release, Wage and Hour Division investigators determined the employer failed to pay required time-and-a-half when employees worked more than 40 hours in a week and did not pay for tasks performed after shifts had officially ended.
“Wage violations, including failing to track and pay for all hours worked, continue to be a major concern for workers in the food services industry,” Wage and Hour Division Acting District Director Charles Frasier said in the release…