CARBONDALE, Ill. (WSIL) -- Longbranch Cafe & Bakery in Carbondale is being accused of violating multiple federal labor laws, in a lawsuit filed by the U.S. Secretary of labor.
Read the court fillings .
The lawsuit, filed January 15, accuses Longbranch, and its manager Elaine Ramseyer Greenberg, of withholding wages and failing to 'make, keep and preserve' employees records, hours and other conditions.
The complaint alleges that Longbranch paid its workers less than the federal minimum wage of $7.25, and improperly distributed a percentage of tips earned by baristas and servers to cooks and dishwashers who don't regularly receive tips.
The complaint also claims that Longbranch failed to both compensate employees for overtime pay and keep and maintain accurate records of hours and tips each employee received.
The suit claims that Longbranch, owned by Dayemi Organization Inc., repeatedly violated labor laws since February 5, 2018. It's seeking compensation for 32 plaintiffs named in the lawsuit.
Ramseyer and Longbranch's attorney declined to comment. News 3 reached out to U.S. attorneys for comment but had not heard back.
