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Amish Market Groceries Cheated Workers Out of Overtime
By
John Del Signore
Published Feb 27, 2009
Modified Feb 27, 2009
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By
John Del Signore
Published Feb 27, 2009
Modified Feb 27, 2009
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550 workers who were illegally denied overtime at nine Amish Market gourmet groceries will divvy up nearly $1.5 million as part of a settlement with the state Department of Labor. At a press conference yesterday, Labor Commissioner M. Patricia Smith detailed the investigation of Amish Market and its related stores: Zeytinia, Zeytinz and Zeytuna. Acting on a tip from union officials, investigators conducted a simultaneous sweep of nine locations throughout the state in June 2007, arriving at the same time to prevent managers from coaching employees or destroying records. The investigation determined that many workers were clocking 45 to 60 hours a week but were not paid time and a half, while new hires often received subminimum wages during a so-called "trial period." Commissioner Smith told reporters, "It’s unfathomable to think that in this day and age—in these frightening economic times—an employer would actually believe it could get away with cheating workers out such an exorbitant amount of their hard earned money."
Tagged
amish market
grocery
investigation
labor department
lawsuit
overtime
workers
John Del Signore
Originally from the Albany area, John Del Signore has called NYC home since 1995. In addition to his thousands of meticulously-crafted bespoke blog posts for Gothamist, his writing has also been published in The Awl, Deadspin, The Nervous Breakdown, and performed at The Brick Theater in Brooklyn.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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