CA Labor Commissioner Cites Riverside & San Bernardino Restaurants for Labor Violations

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.businesswire.com/portal/site/google/?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20080423005312&newsLang=en

April 23, 2008 12:00 PM Eastern Daylight Time

SAN BERNARDINO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Officials with the State Division of Labor Standards Enforcement (Labor Commissioner’s Office) issued 38 citations totaling more than $207,000 in fines to restaurants in Riverside and San Bernardino Counties in a recent two-day enforcement sweep.

Teams of investigators conducted the sweeps of 39 restaurants in Riverside County and five in San Bernardino County. To request a complete list of the violations and businesses cited, email the Department of Industrial Relations at: [e-mail].

Violations uncovered include failure to:

* provide workers’ compensation insurance
* provide itemized deductions,
* pay minimum wage, and
* secure permits for working minors (child labor)

“We are here to ensure that the restaurant industry properly pays its employees and that the rights of these workers are safeguarded,” said California Labor Commissioner Angela Bradstreet. “Restaurants that operate outside the law have an unfair advantage over their competitors. It’s our job to protect workers and level the playing field for those restaurant operators who do follow the law.”

The DLSE adjudicates wage claims, investigates discrimination and public works complaints, and enforces state labor law and Industrial Welfare Commission wage orders. To learn more about the functions of the California Labor Commissioner, visit our web site at www.dir.ca.gov/dlse. Employees that have work-related questions or complaints can call the California Workers’ Information Hotline at 1-866-924-9757.