Rap mogul Jay-Z last week made headlines over his show-stopping performance at the Glastonbury Festival - and this week is getting attention for all the wrong reasons, after workers at his trendy New York club, 40/40, filed a class action suit over pay disputes.
Manhattan Federal Judge Loretta Preska said current and past servers, bartenders and others who have worked at the downtown sports bar and lounge could be eligible for a payout, from a suit certified as class action Tuesday (July 1).According to the lawsuit, 20 workers have accused club managers of making them work for tips only, and forced them to pay for breakagess and spills as well as 'walkouts', where customers leave without paying their bill.
Hundreds of former employees could be eligible for compensation if the workers' claims are successful at trial, their attorney says.
"It's a good day for restaurant workers throughout the city," said workers' lawyer Maimon Kirschenbaum.
However, Judge Preska said the workers' lawyers have made a "minimal" showing that the owners have violated federal wage and labor laws. "The record contains corroborating evidence of the allegations," Preska wrote.
She did note than an earnings report for at least two workers showed that they did not receive overtime for hours worked beyond the 40-hour work-week.
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