The complaint alleges they failed to pay appropriate overtime, withheld part of workers’ tips, and pressured employees not to cooperate with federal investigators.
The Department of Labor informed restaurant owners Taqueria Garibaldi that it had evidence of overtime and record-keeping violations. After that, however, one of the chain’s owners showed up at the Howe Avenue restaurant with a priest, The Sacramento Bee reported.
Hernandez and the priest asked the workers if they wanted to take time off for confession, but the priest asked if the team leader Maria Parra drank alcohol, had ever stolen anything at work, had arrived late for work or if she had done something wrong. his employer, according to the report, citing Parra’s account in court documents.
Parra was reportedly fired three months later. It was retaliation for his cooperation in the investigation and intimidation of other employees, federal officials said.
According to the court, the defendants are prohibited “from dismissing or threatening to dismiss any employee, or retaliating against or otherwise discriminating against any employee, because that employee spoke or was perceived to have spoken with a representative of the United States Department of Labor. , or otherwise cooperated or perceived to have cooperated with a U.S. Department of Labor investigation or litigation. »
