Lawsuits

Alto Is Latest To Be Accused of Wage Violations

Photo: Patrick McMullan

As Michael White and Chris Cannon prepare to open an osteria in Soho, another of their restaurants, Alto, is the latest to be sued for labor violations, according to a press release issued by Outten & Golden LLP (the firm also involved in the case against Mario Batali and others). Here’s the meat of the complaint, filed yesterday by current employees Arturo Reyes, Daniel Medino, and Jose Arenas: “[D]espite their great success, which Cannon and White achieved on the backs of their waitstaff, they required their waitstaff to share their hard-earned tips with tip ineligible workers, including the General Manager of Alto, that they unlawfully took a tip credit and paid less than the full minimum wage, that they denied their waitstaff spread-of-hours pay, and that they required them to purchase and launder required uniforms.” You can read the rest of the complaint below.

Arturo Reyes, et al., v. Altamarea Group, LLC, Alto 53, LLC d/b/a Alto, and Chris Cannon [pdf]

Alto Is Latest To Be Accused of Wage Violations