http://tags.library.upenn.edu/tag/new_york+labor+workers_rights PennTags Feed http://tags.library.upenn.edu/makerecord/url/29866 http://tags.library.upenn.edu/makerecord/url/29866 <p>Judge Approves Deal to Settle Suit Over Wage Violations</p> <p> <div class="byline">By <a href="http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/g/steven_greenhouse/index.html?inline=nyt-per" title="More Articles by Steven Greenhouse">STEVEN GREENHOUSE</a></div> </p> <div class="timestamp">Published: June 19, 2008</div> <div class="timestamp"><br /></div> <div class="timestamp"> <p>A federal judge on Wednesday provisionally approved the first part of proposed settlements totaling $3.9 million in two closely watched wage-violation lawsuits brought against one of Manhattan&rsquo;s leading restaurant owners.</p> <p>The judge, Paul A. Crotty, of Federal District Court in Manhattan, approved a $588,000 settlement in a lawsuit against the Redeye Grill, a Midtown restaurant, and indicated that he would soon approve a second settlement of more than $3 million against other restaurants owned by the Fireman Hospitality Group, which owns Redeye. Those restaurants are Cafe Fiorello, Bond 45, Brooklyn Diner, Shelly&rsquo;s and Trattoria Dell&rsquo;Arte.</p> <p>Waiters and other workers charged that Fireman&rsquo;s restaurants often violated wage and hour laws by erasing hours from employees&rsquo; time cards, not paying the minimum wage and overtime, giving managers part of the tips and docking employees&rsquo; paychecks if their customers walked out without paying. Five workers are also threatening to bring a new lawsuit charging sexual harassment and racial discrimination.</p> </div>