NEW YORK (Legal Newsline) - New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman announced March 23 that FCN Corporation, a company that operated 5 Star Car Wash in Elmont, N.Y., and manager Christopher Conte will pay $154,951 in restitution after allegations of underpaying employees.
“It’s simple: hardworking New Yorkers must be paid a fair day’s wage. The conduct of 5 Star was unacceptable and my office will continue to take action against all those who violate the rights of their employees,” Schneiderman said.
The attorney general alleged 5 Star failed to pay minimum wage and overtime wages to 16 current and former employees. Between Jan. 1, 2014 and February 2017, 5 Star purportedly paid employees as little as $6 an hour to employees.
In addition to monetary restitution, 5 Star agreed to revise its business practices; it will keep better records, in writing, of all employee complaints, Schneiderman said.
“At a time when exploitative employers are feeling increasingly emboldened by (President Donald) Trump’s hateful rhetoric, it is imperative that our state is taking a strong stance in defense of immigrant workers,” said Deb Axt, co-executive director of Make The Road New York.
“Wage theft is a persistent and pervasive problem in New York, particularly in the carwash industry, with low-road employers cheating their immigrant workers out of millions of dollars in lawful wages and benefits each year.”