A U.S. Department of Labor investigation has recovered $272,163 in overtime back wages for 133 workers employed by an Omaha-based bar and restaurant operator.
The department says Maven Act II LLC used a tip pool illegally and denied servers and salaried employees their correct overtime wages.
Investigators with the department’s Wage and Hour Division found the corporation violated provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act at six of its locations, according to a department press release.
Ethan Bondelid, one of the owners of the six businesses, said Thursday that corporation officials cooperated with the investigation and that the violations arose from misunderstanding the law.
“There were a number of findings that we were in violation of that we didn’t realize,” Bondelid said.
He said they misunderstood the operation of the tip pool and the laws governing overtime. The employees were made whole, he said.
“We were transparent with the process,” he said. “We didn’t lose any employees over it. We paid all the back wages, and we changed our policies and made the necessary corrections.”
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