Some Houston employment lawyers would say that they're not that surprised by the alleged mistreatment of employees at the Hooters Restaurant Chain, as the restaurant is controversially based on female sex appeal. In the Houston area, there are 10 Hooters restaurants that employ hundreds of workers.
Yet KCRA reports that some California waitresses at Hooters have filed a claim against the company, saying that the restaurant has poor employment practices and that employees are mistreated by management.
"In particular, we never received breaks. We were always on the floor. We had to pay for our uniforms," Maya Galakhova, one of the plaintiffs in the Sacramento based lawsuit, told KCRA.
Breaks on the job have been a key issue in some employment cases. Under the federal law, an employer is not required to provide any sort of meal break or rest period, but there are laws in certain states that do mandate breaks for employees. Texas, unfortunately does not have any laws on rest and meal breaks, according to WorkplaceFairness.org. On the other hand, California has strict break standards where an employee must get a paid 10 minute break for each four hours of work. In addition, California workers who work at least 6 hours in a day are entitled to an unpaid 30 minute meal break.
KCRA reports that employment lawyer Burton Boltuch will be representing Ms. Galakhova and other Hooters employees in the lawsuit. Mediation for the employment lawsuit is expected to begin in less than two months and could ultimately result with pay outs to several thousand Hooters employees.
If you have questions about employment practices, it may be best to contact a Houston employment lawyer.
Related Resources:
- When You Have to Be Paid for Not Working (FindLaw)
- Are Employees Titled to Overtime and Breaks? (FindLaw Knowledgebase)
- Hooters Waitresses Sue Over Having to Buy Uniforms (FindLaw's Law and Daily Life blog)
- Find Houston Employment Lawyers (FindLaw)
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