$4.5 million lawsuit settlement from The Cheesecake Factory

Sept. 2005 According to the Young Workers United website, there were a host of allegations. Employees of The Cheesecake Factory said they were not given meal breaks when they worked shifts over six hours (which are mandated by state law), that managers verbally harassed them, and that there were instances of racial and sexual discrimination.

The bulk of the individual claims filed by employees with the Department of Labor Standard Enforcement were wage claims for missed breaks. A California law passed in 2000 entitles workers to one hour of pay if they are not given a meal break, but many who filed said The Cheesecake Factory denied them meal breaks up to March 2003. In an effort to remedy this situation the restaurant had employees come in an hour early, do side work (such as folding napkins), then take a half-hour break but still work a six hour shift with no other rest periods. The Cheesecake Factory settled out of court for $4.5 million! Just another example of this company allowing something that they know is wrong continue until they are sued and forced to pay! Know where you eat.