After Federal Investigation, Houston Restaurant Ordered to Pay $100K In Back Wages

After an extensive investigation into its labor practices, Don Carlos Mexican Restaurants in Houston has been ordered to pay more than $100,000 in back wages to its employees.

The United States Department of Labor issued a ruling that found that Don Carlos’ parent company DC Broadway Inc. failed to pay 24 employees $97,080 in overtime wages, KTRK reports. The restaurant chain wasn’t adequately keeping track of overtime hours when employees worked at several of its outposts in the same week. Open since 1986, the Don Carlos chain currently operates three restaurants in Houston and another in Waco.

According to a U.S. Department of Labor press release, the employer also violated provisions of labor law when it failed to maintain accurate records of hours worked by one part-time employee.

“Employers that pay employees less than what they have legally earned short change their workers and gain an unfair advantage over competitors that abide by the law,” said Betty Campbell, Southwest Regional Administrator for the Wage and Hour Division of the U.S. Department of Labor in a statement. “We are committed to helping employers understand their obligations, and encourage employers and employees alike to reach out to us for guidance or assistance.”

• Houston Mexican restaurant ordered to pay nearly $100K in unpaid overtime [KTRK]
• U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR INVESTIGATION RESULTS IN ENFORCEMENT ACTION AGAINST TEXAS RESTAURANT OPERATOR [U.S. Dept of Labor]