Employer: Kazu Sushi Burrito
Investigation sites: Kazu Sushi Burrito LLC, 6025 Butler Point Road, Jacksonville, FL 32256
Kazu Sushi Burrito III LLC, 4600 Tropea Way, Jacksonville, FL 32246
Kazu Sushi Burrito 4 LLC, 693 3rd St., Jacksonville, FL 32250
Kazu Sushi Burrito 5 LLC, 1000 S. Ponce De Leon Blvd., Jacksonville, FL 32084
Kazu Sushi Burrito 6 LLC, 935 Durbin Pavilion Drive, St. Johns, FL 32259
Investigation findings: U.S. Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division investigators found the operator of a chain of Jacksonville-area fast-food restaurants illegally kept a portion of employees’ tips, in violation of the Fair Labor Standards Act. Kazu Sushi also paid some employees a flat salary without regard to the number of hours worked. By doing so, the employer violated minimum wage restrictions when the employees’ average hourly rate fell below the federal minimum wage. Kazu Sushi also failed to pay those same salaried non-exempt workers the overtime premium due for hours over 40 in a workweek. In addition, the employer did not maintain complete and accurate time and pay records.
Back wages recovered: The division recovered $215,190 in back wages for 100 workers.
Quote: “Too often, restaurant industry workers are victims of wage theft by their employers,” said Wage and Hour Division District Director Wildalí De Jesús in Orlando, Florida. “These workers depend on every dollar they earn to provide for themselves and their families. There is no excuse for employers to intentionally deny these hard-working people their lawfully earned wages.”