FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – Some employees at the high-end Las Olas restaurant Salt 7 say they have not been paid, accusing the owner of issuing excuses and bouncing checks while the restaurant faces imminent eviction.
Cassie Crumbly, a former bartender, took to social media to warn others.
“Salt 7 is a business that steals from their staff,” she wrote. “They don’t pay their staff their credit card tips or any tips. They don’t pay their kitchen staff. They don’t pay anyone.”
Crumbly, who worked at the restaurant for three months, said she received only two paychecks. “I am owed $3,800 just in credit card tips, plus an hourly check,” she stated.
Her post has garnered over 600 responses, many from former employees who also claim they are owed wages.
Current employees echo these concerns.
“He owes me over $2,000,” said Yale Freedman, a Salt 7 employee. When asked why he continues to work there, Freedman replied, “Basically, I’m working for free.”
Salt 7′s head chef, Daniel, also voiced frustration. “I’m leaving! My check bounced,” he said.
Employees blame owner John Kostoglou. When confronted, Kostoglou denied the allegations. “That’s incorrect,” he said, but later added, “We are going through everyone, and we are going to take care of every single employee.”
Court records reveal that the restaurant, at 500 E. Las Olas Blvd., is facing financial trouble beyond payroll issues. Vendors claim they are owed thousands: Premier Produce states the restaurant owes $44,000, while meat supplier Allen Brothers reports an overdue balance of $176,600. The restaurant’s landlord has filed for eviction, citing nearly $300,000 in unpaid rent.
Salt 7′s parent company filed for bankruptcy, but the case was dismissed in federal court.
The Broward Sheriff’s Office is expected to enforce the eviction soon. The U.S. Department of Labor and Florida’s Department of Economic Opportunity may assist employees in recovering wages, but the process is long and uncertain. Many fear they may never see their money.
Crumbly summed up the frustration: “The checks are bouncing. It doesn’t make any sense. The business wasn’t doing poorly, so I don’t really know what’s going on.”
How to file a complaint for back wages
Employees who are owed wages by their employer have several options to recover their money. They can file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD) by calling the toll-free helpline at 1-866-4-USWAGE (1-866-487-9243) or by submitting a complaint online at DOL’s website.
It is important to keep relevant documentation, such as pay stubs and time records, to support the claim.
Website: https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/contact/complaints
For those in Broward County, there is also a wage recovery ordinance that provides an additional avenue for employees to seek restitution, with more details available here. Employees with hearing or speech disabilities can access services by dialing 711.
In Miami Dade, the Consumer Mediation Center handles wage disputes that meet required criteria in cases of underpayment and non-payment of wages earned by employees working in Miami-Dade County.
The law applies to all private employers with employees who are performing work within Miami-Dade County, without any regard to the physical location of the employer.