The owner of an Estero restaurant was cited for violating federal laws that regulate overtime pay, according to the U.S. Department of Labor.
Restaurant Investment at Bonita LLC, which owns Divieto Ristorante, 23161 Village Shops Way, No. 101, in Coconut Point — along with two other Divieto restaurants in Doral and Aventura in South Florida — violated the Fair Labor Standards Act, according to a release from the labor department.
As a result, the North Miami Beach-based owner was ordered to pay $18,705 in back wages and damages to 58 employees at the three locations.
Investigators with the labor department's Wage and Hour Division reviewed records from June 24, 2019, through June 20, 2021. They found that the three restaurants paid the incorrect overtime rates to tipped employees, the news release said. In Florida, workers whose tips are part of their hourly compensation must be paid an additional half of the state minimum wage when they work more than 40 hours in a week.
The department said in the statement that it also assessed the owner a $1,382 civil penalty to address a child labor violation. The investigation found the Estero location allowed two 15-year-old employees to work after 10 p.m. on non-school days, a violation of federal laws for workers younger than 16.
Officials with Divieto Ristorante in Estero were unavailable for comment.
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