Maroni Restaurant Settles Cook’s Overtime Pay Lawsuit for $110k

Renowned Long Island restaurant, Maroni Cuisine, has agreed to pay $110,000 to settle a lawsuit alleging that the restaurant did not pay a cook overtime pay, in violation of the Fair Labor Standards Act (“FLSA”) and the New York Labor Law (“NYLL”).  Maroni, notable for its exceptional meatballs, was voted the second best restaurant on Long Island by Zagat, and was also featured on “Throwdown with Bobby Flay.” The cook who brought the lawsuit alleged that he was required to work approximately fifty-two hours per week, and was misclassified as an exempt employee and paid a weekly salary contrary to the Fair Labor Standards Act and the New York Labor Law.  The FLSA and NYLL provide that only employees who fit within the administrative, executive, or professional exemption qualify as exempt from the overtime laws, and all other employees must be paid overtime pay for hours worked over forty. Vivianna Morales, an attorney with Pechman Law Group, was the lead attorney on behalf of the worker at Maroni.