TAMPA – A Sarasota County woman has filed a class-action suit against a Manatee County restaurant over allegations she was terminated for attempting to exercise her rights to a medical leave.
Barbra Warren filed a complaint on behalf of all others similarly situated on Jan. 27 in the Tampa Division of the Middle District of Florida against Continental Kitchens Inc., doing business as Harry's Continental Kitchens, and Harold R. Christensen citing the Fair Labor Standards Act and the Family and Medical Leave Act.
According to the complaint, the plaintiff alleges that she worked for more than 40 hours per week without being paid the minimum wage during her employment from January 2014 to October 2016. The plaintiff holds Continental Kitchens Inc., doing business as Harry's Continental Kitchens, and Christensen responsible because the defendants allegedly took advantage of the plaintiff's tip credit and required their employees to participate in a mandatory tip pool and retaliated against her when she attempted to take a leave that would qualify under the Family and Medical Leave Act.
The plaintiff requests a trial by jury and seeks lost wages, benefits and other remuneration, reinstatement, back pay plus interest, front pay, liquidated damages, interest, all legal fees and any other relief as the court deems just. She is represented by Donna V. Smith of Wenzel Fenton Cabassa PA in Tampa.
Tampa Division of the Middle District of Florida Case number 8:17-cv-00222-EAK-TBM