http://www.boston.com/dailynews/168/region/U_S_Labor_Department_sues_Bost:.shtmlA chain of five restaurants in the Boston area and their owner have been sued by the U.S. Labor Department for allegedly failing to pay 138 employees overtime wages they were due under federal law.
The lawsuit filed against Pho Pasteur restaurants and owner Duyen Le of Weston asks for a court order prohibiting the restaurants from future violations of federal labor laws and the payment of all due back wages.
The chain allegedly made some low-wage employees, particularly kitchen staff, work 60 to 70 hours per week without breaks, according to an investigation by the Labor Department's Boston office.
The investigation also found that many employees were only paid straight time, in cash, for hours worked over 40. The restaurants also failed to maintain adequate records of their employees' wages, hours and other conditions of employment, according to the investigation's findings.