Complaint claims illegal retaliation by operator of Longmont Blackjack Pizza & Salads
DENVER – The U.S. Department of Labor has filed a complaint in federal court against the operator of a Longmont franchise restaurant who allegedly fired two workers whom the employer believed complained to the department’s Wage and Hour Division about the employer’s pay practice and participated in the investigation that followed.
In its Jan. 11, 2023 filing in the U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado in Denver, the department accused ZdN Inc. and its owner, Shawna Bingham – operator of a Blackjack Pizza & Salads franchise – of violating the Fair Labor Standards Act by intimidating and retaliating against the employees.
The action follows an investigation after which the division determined the company and Bingham targeted the two workers for termination after learning of the probe. In its filing, the department claims Bingham told one of the workers that she was appalled that the employee complained to the division. During the investigators’ visit, the owner called the two off-duty employees and asked them to come to the restaurant where a federal investigator interviewed them. Later that day, Bingham terminated both employees.
“Federal law protects workers’ rights to report wage violations and participate in an investigation without fear of reprisal,” explained Regional Solicitor John Rainwater in Denver. “A U.S. Department of Labor investigation found the employers...
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