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US Department of Labor finds multiple violations at southeastern Wisconsin business, Casa Tequila

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The owner of four Wisconsin restaurants allegedly shortchanged more than 100 employees more than $272,000 in wages and violated several federal regulations, including child labor laws, according to the U.S. Department of Labor.

"Violations like those found in our investigation of Casa Tequila are all-too-common in the food service industry," Kristin Tout, wage and hour division director for the department, said in a statement. "Restaurants often employ people unfamiliar with their legal rights and protections as workers and who may be fearful about raising or reporting their concerns."

A woman who answered the phone at Casa Tequila's Pewaukee location said owner Maria Campuzano was not available. The woman, who did not identify herself, said the company was working on a statement.

Casa Tequila has locations in Pewaukee, West Bend, Waukesha and Hartford.

Investigators found Casa Tequila violated the Fair Labor Standards Act's minimum wage, record keeping and child labor provisions when it did the following:

• Operated an invalid tip pool at the Pewaukee location by including kitchen staff and cooks, which are not tipped occupations. By doing so, the employer lost its ability to claim credit for tips toward its minimum wage and overtime obligations for tipped employees, such as servers.
• Based the overtime rate paid to tipped employees on...

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