Employer: Domo Café Kahala and Domo Café Chinatown
Investigation sites: 4346 Waialae Ave., Honolulu, HI 96816
1016 Maunakea St., Honolulu, HI 96817
Investigation findings: A U.S. Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division investigation found the owner of two Domo Café restaurants in Honolulu and his wife, a manager at the restaurants, illegally retained portions of tips from a tip pool, in violation of the Fair Labor Standards Act. The law prohibits an employer, including managers and supervisors, to keep any portion of tips received by employees. Investigators also discovered the employer failed to pay all overtime owed to one employee.
Wages, Damages Recovered: $72,054 in tips for 14 employees
$79,226 in liquidated damages for 14 workers
$7,172 in overtime wages to one employee
Penalty Assessed: $2,030 in civil money penalties because of the reckless nature of violations.
Quote: “It is critically essential for non-management service staff to be able to retain the entirety of the tips they earn so they can offset living expenses and meet their financial goals,” said Wage and Hour Division District Director Terence Trotter in Honolulu. “We urge all employers in the restaurant service sector to review their tip retention policies to ensure compliance with the Fair Labor Standards Act.”