Minneapolis restaurant group pays workers $230,000 after withholding wages during shutdown

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - A Minneapolis-based restaurant group will be paying its employees more than $230,000 after the Minnesota Attorney General's Office determined workers laid off during the COVID-19 shutdown last year did not receive their final paychecks.

Bartmann Companies runs multiple restaurants including Barbette, Tiny Diner, Red Stag Supperclub, Pat's Tap, and Book Club. 

After launching an investigation into reports of withheld wages, attorney general's office officials also discovered overtime pay violations in addition to the missed payroll.

So far, Bartmann Companies has paid staff $98,980.94 in back wages and $66,105.92 in overtime wages. It will pay an additional $66,105.92 in liquidated damages as part of the parts of an assurance of discontinuance. 

If Bartmann Companies violates the payment of wages in the next eight years, the state could seek a $100,000 civil penalty.

Bartmann Companies will send the Attorney General's Office the amount of any uncashed checks for back pay and overtime wages and the office will distribute that money directly to the impacted employees who have not cashed their checks.