Carlos Beltran's Restaurant Sued By Ex-Employees
NEW YORK (AP) -- Two former employees of a Manhattan restaurant co-owned by New York Mets right fielder Carlos Beltran say they were shortchanged on wages and tips.
The two filed a federal class-action lawsuit Friday against the celebrity hangout Sofrito on East 57th Street.
Beltran invested last year in the restaurant, which serves Puerto Rican-style food.
A waiter and bartender say Sofrito's owners did not pay them overtime and their tips were distributed among workers who hadn't earned them.
Tip sharing is common in city restaurants, but it is against the law. Recently, a long list of popular eateries have faced similar lawsuits alleging wage violations.
The plaintiffs are seeking unspecified damages for themselves and more than 50 other workers.
A call for comment to Sofrito was not immediately returned.
(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
