The U.S. Department of Labor has recovered some $157,000 in owed wages and damages for 46 food service workers denied overtime in Texas' Rio Grande Valley.
The department's Wage and Hour Division found that LJ2 Investments LLC of Pharr, Texas – operator of Jasso Express food trucks – failed to pay the required time and one-half the hourly wages of 46 catering service workers for hours worked over 40 in a workweek. Additionally, the employer failed to keep records, in violation of federal law.
The agency recovered $78,664 in back wages and an equal amount in liquidated damages.
In fiscal year 2023, the division recovered more than $29 million owed to nearly 26,000 food service industry workers. Food service is among the division’s low-wage, high violation industries with the third highest amount of back wages recovered and the second highest amount of civil money penalties assessed.
“Federal law is very clear about paying overtime and leaves no excuse for an employer to deprive workers of their lawfully earned wages,” said District Director Cynthia Cantu-Flores in McAllen, Texas. “The U.S. Department of Labor remains committed to protecting our nation’s workers and holding employers accountable.”
