A dozen current and former employees of Northstar Café in Easton and Westerville are suing the restaurant owners, alleging wage and tip theft.
The employees allege Northstar Café, owned by Darren Malhame, paid tipped employees less than they were owed under the federal Wages and Fair Labor Standards Act and Ohio wage laws. The complaint was filed in the U.S. District Court of Southern Ohio last week.
The complaint alleges the restaurant pools tips accrued by tipped employees across the company and spreads the tips to management and supervisors illegally. It also alleges Northstar Cafe paid employees less than the Ohio minimum wage and paid them incorrectly for overtime.
Bob DeRose, a managing partner at Barkan Meizlish DeRose Cox law firm which is representing the employees, said his clients feel cheated by Northstar. He said they are seeking a class action designation and say hundreds of other employees could join if the U.S. District Court of Southern Ohio grants it, allowing potential litigants to be notified.
"They're understandably upset. They want to get paid what they're owed. They want to stop the practice and make sure others who have worked there find out about it and get the pay that they're owed," DeRose said.
Northstar Café sent a statement to WOSU denying any wrongdoing.
"The claims made in the lawsuit are factually inaccurate. Northstar is extremely careful to ensure all policies are legally compliant and fair. While we take these allegations seriously, we...
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