Hale and Hearty Accused of Wage Theft

A food preparer at Hale and Hearty New York, has filed a class action lawsuit suing the chain of soup restaurants and its production facility for failing to pay workers for all hours worked, failing to pay overtime wages and other Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and New York Labor Law wage violations. The Complaint filed by Alfredo Ferrari alleges that Hale and Hearty would regularly change punch clock records and reduce the recorded hours employees worked, so as to avoid paying overtime compensation for hours worked over forty in a workweek. Ferrari alleges that he failed to receive compensation for an average of ten hours per week. The Complaint also alleges that production workers and food preparers were required to clock out for fifteen minute lunch breaks but were often forced to work during that time. The class action lawsuit seeks unpaid wages, liquidated damages and attorneys’ fees for violations of the FLSA and the New York Labor Law.