PENSACOLA – A former server/waiter is suing an Escambia County restaurant and its owner for alleged failure to pay a minimum wage.
Matthew Harper filed a complaint on March 28 in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida, Pensacola Division against Iron Restaurant Group LLC and owner Mike Brazwell alleging that they violated the Fair Labor Standards Act.
According to the complaint, the plaintiff alleges that between July 2014 and March 2017, he worked for the defendant as a server/waiter for $5.03 per hour plus tips from serving customers. However, plaintiff claims he received less than the minimum wage because of the utilized tip credit method of compensation and the tip pool arrangement included employees that do not regularly receive tips.
The plaintiff requests a trial by jury and seeks judgment for unpaid minimum wages, liquidated damages, attorneys' fees, costs and any other further relief that the court deems just and appropriate. He is represented by Matthew R. Gunter of Morgan and Morgan PA in Orlando.
U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida, Pensacola Division Case number 3:17-cv-00197