Many working individuals have families and other responsibilities in addition to work, making their time valuable, which should not be disrespected and taken advantage of. It is important to pay workers every cent they are owed for their time, not to mention a legal responsibility. Recently, the restaurant chain The Cheesecake Factory and some contractors paid a settlement in a California wage theft case in which janitorial employees were blatantly disrespected and should have been initially compensated for the extra time spent working at the Cheesecake Factory. Companies and businesses need to emphasize bettering work conditions for their employees to prevent injustices such as wage theft.
Janitors at eight Cheesecake Factory locations in Orange and San Diego counties were forced to work up to 10 extra hours a week and were not fully compensated for their time. They were not paid overtime and were tasked with labor, such as cleaning the kitchens and dining rooms of the restaurant. It is disappointing to witness a large company such as The Cheesecake Factory fail their employees, especially because they have the funds to compensate for the time the janitors spend cleaning. Neglecting overtime payments shows how willing the restaurant was to cut corners.
According to the Orange County Register, workers advocates have talked about the increase in contracting and subcontracting in the janitorial industry affecting workers in a negative way with increased wage theft. Big companies can deflect responsibility legally, and small companies can change names or file for bankruptcy when accused of wage theft. There needs to be a better system in place to prevent injustices like this from occurring again; companies should be willing to take more responsibility for the role that they play in wage theft. The loophole of contracting should not take away from accepting accountability.
The State Labor Commissioner’s office formally announced the settlement and handed out checks to former workers. The office now wants to find others who might have been taken advantage of and qualify for a payout for unpaid work. The partnership between the Labor Commissioner’s Office and the Maintenance Cooperation Trust Fund was formed to persuade workers to cooperate with the state. This wage theft case against a large employer such as the Cheesecake Factory highlights the injustice taking place throughout the industry. This sends a message to big companies that they should pay closer attention to how their employees are treated.
The settlement of one million dollars came with the condition that none of the companies admitted any fault. While the settlement is a win and can lead to greater accountability, there remains a problem that leaves employees vulnerable to wage theft. This is not the only instance in which people were wrongfully used for their time and labor. A 2014 report by the Economic Policy Institute estimated that workers lose over fifty billion a year to wage theft from employers. The large settlement paid by The Cheesecake Factory should be a warning to all major companies that they will not get away with exploiting workers for their labor to cut corners and save money forever. The tide is shifting in workers’ favor, and major employers need to get on board.
Larger companies cannot keep cutting corners and taking advantage of their employee’s services. Those who do take advantage must be held accountable by any means necessary. The Cheesecake Factory settlement is a testament to the result of unfair exploitation of janitorial services. It should be viewed as a cautionary tale on how to treat employees better to prevent these abuses from ever happening again.
