An ongoing enforcement initiative conducted by the U.S. Labor Department’s Wage and Hour Division, which focused on full-service restaurants in Florida, has found widespread violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act’s minimum wage, overtime and child labor provisions. During 2012, the Tampa office conducted more than 80 investigations of restaurants, resulting in nearly $500,000 in minimum wage and overtime back wages for more than 800 employees who had been denied fair compensation for all of their hours worked, in violation of the FLSA. These investigations also resulted in the assessment of double damages and civil money penalties. The press release by the Department of Labor highlights the results. Lebau & Neuworth, for years, has representing employees working in restaurants. In the past 12 months, in several cases, Lebau & Neuworth has represented more than 100 assistant managers, waiters, busboys and cooks in overtime and minimum wages cases. All cases resolved before trial with the workers get owed wages and very close to double damages. We have the experience, so contact us, if you think you are owed wages.