TGI Fridays served with class-action lawsuit
Hospitality giant Carlson Restaurants, headquartered in Carollton, faces a class-action suit alleging numerous Fair Labor Standards Act violations at TGI Fridays restaurants nationwide.
The suit, filed in federal court in New York, alleges the restaurant requires tipped employees to arrive early and stay at work after the restaurant closes without properly compensating them. Additionally, it alleges the restaurant uses its centralized timekeeping system to shave time off employees’ time cards.
Plus, the suit claims TGI Fridays requires tipped employees to perform duties that don’t generate tips, which are normally performed by “back of the house” employees. Examples: cleaning the restaurant, preparing food in bulk for customers, cutting produce, refilling condiment containers and stocking and replenishing the bar and service areas.
The suit seeks lost wages, overtime compensation, spread-of-hours pay, misappropriated tips, uniform-related expenses and repayment of unlawful deductions for current and former servers, bussers, runners, bartenders, bar backs, hosts and other tipped workers at the restaurant chain.
