AG Ellison Announces $230K Back Pay Settlement With Twin Cities Restaurant Group
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) - Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison announced Friday the results of an investigation against Bartmann Companies ending in a settlement with over $230,000 in back pay.
Bartmann Companies, a restaurant group, was found failing to pay employees all the wages they were owed on time. As a result of the investigation the company has already paid employees $98,980.94 in back wages and $66,105.92 in overtime wages. Also, under the terms of an Assurance of Discontinuance filed Thursday, the company will pay an additional $66,105.92 in liquidated damages.
The restaurant group also agreed to a civil penalty of $100,000 if the group violates its obligations to follow Minnesota law distributing earned wages in the next eight years. The settlement also requires the company to create an official overtime policy that specifically addresses the sharing of workers between companies.
According to the AG's Office, Bartmann Companies is a Minnesota-based restaurant group with various restaurants within the Twin Cities region. The office said it launched the investigation into the group after they were notified that the company had laid off workers during the pandemic shutdowns without paying employees their last paychecks.
"Everyone should take home every dollar they earn, including overtime wages. It's hard enough for people to afford their lives, when wages are stolen or illegally withheld, it's that much harder," Ellison said.
Workers with concerns about violations of state and federal wage laws are encouraged to contact the AG's Office at (651) 296-3353.