YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) – The U.S. Department of Labor conducted an investigation into Wheezy’s Sports Bar & Grill’s payroll practices and the company recovered $114,996 in unpaid wages and damages for 86 employees.

according to press releasethe employee learned that his employer, Tres Sisters LLC, had intentionally and willfully denied him overtime pay.

The Department of Labor told their investigators: Wage/time division Wheezy owners Maria Stefanakos, Yanoura Stephanakos and Elene Stefanakos discovered that they were paying their employees a flat rate for overtime hours and cash. According to a press release, this violates the law. Fair Labor Standards Act.

Investigators also found that employers were unaware of employee hours worked, pay records for employees who worked more than 40 hours, and were unaware of cash payments for overtime. .

“Wheezy’s Sports Bar & Grill in Yuma violated an employee’s fundamental right to overtime pay in excess of a 40-hour workweek,” said Eric Murray, District Director of Phoenix’s Wage-Hours Division. The U.S. Department of Labor’s efforts to protect workers’ rights violated workers’ rights.” Rights can be very damaging for employers who break the law, especially if they do so intentionally. ”

In addition to recovering liquidation damages equal to $57,498 in unpaid wages, the Labor Department announced that it had imposed a “civil fine of $14,231 for willful misconduct” against Torres Sisters LLC.