LA-Based Japanese Restaurant Group Ordered to Pay $621K in Back Wages

A string of LA-based Japanese ramen and sushi restaurants have been ordered to pay up over $621,000 in back wages and damages after a federal investigation found that supervisors had repeatedly cut overtime pay from its chefs and other workers, reports the Associated Press. Gatten Sushi and sister company GTN, which runs Yushoken ramen restaurants, shaved off time cards and regularly took out pay from 10-minute breaks. Over 400 employees at 11 restaurants were affected by the schemes.

The investigation also found that some chefs were working up to 90 hours a week without overtime pay. Chefs, servers, and kitchen staff will collect payments and back wages as a part of the settlement. GTN and Gatten Sushi will also pay over $156,000 in penalties as a result of the infractions. Gatten Sushi runs a revolving sushi bar (kaiten) concept that once had a prominent location on Sawtelle, as well as in Koreatown, but both locations are closed. Yushoken has outlets in Arcadia and Irvine.