N.Y. AG reaches agreement to reinstate Domino's workers

NEW YORK (Legal Newsline) - New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman announced an agreement Thursday with the operator of a Washington Heights Domino's pizza store to reinstate workers after a wage dispute.

Under the terms of the agreement, 25 workers with 3683 Washington Heights Pizza LLC will be reinstated after they were terminated on Saturday night following a wage dispute with store management. The workers will be reinstated by Sunday at the latest.

"Because of this agreement, 25 workers will be back to work in time for the holidays," Schneiderman said. "New York's labor laws exist to ensure the protection and fair treatment of employees in the workplace. My office will take swift action where there is any indication that an employer may have retaliated against workers for complaining about illegal labor conditions."

Employees with 3683 Washington Heights Pizza complained to the company that they were being paid a tipped wage for spending spending excessive time performing untipped kitchen work. Under state law, employees who regularly receive tips may be paid a lower hourly wage and the employer can claim a tip credit if certain conditions are met.

State and federal laws limit the amount of a time a lower-paid, tipped employee may perform untipped work. like kitchen or cleaning work. State law also prohibits employers from retaliating against employees who made good-faith complaints to their employer or government agencies regarding state labor law violations.

Schneiderman's agreement addresses only the reinstatement of the 25 employees and does not resolve an ongoing inquiry into other potential labor law violations by 3683 Washington Heights Pizza.