When it opened earlier this year in Hudson Yards, José Andrés’s Mercado Little Spain earned rave reviews. At Eater in May, Robert Sietsema wrote that “it’s already a formidable place for a visit and a meal.” Coming up with a precise description for the space isn’t easy; Sietsema’s review describes Mercado Little Spain as a “combination food court, grocery store, meat and cheese market, curio shop, and restaurant destination.”
But now, Mercado Little Spain has drawn attention for something other than the quality of its food. Grub Street’s Nikita Richardson reports that a bartender working there has filed a suit against Andrés and Hudson Hall LLC. The details are worrisome, especially given Andrés’s philanthropic reputation.
“The bartender, Tina Braunstein, alleges that she was not paid proper overtime wages, or the $15 an hour that goes to employees who work for more than ten hours in a day. She also alleges that she was forced to share tips with non-service employees, and is “seeking unpaid wages, liquidated damages, attorneys’ fees, and ‘other legal and equitable relief as this court deems just and proper.’” The lawsuit was filed in the Southern District of New York.”
Andrés responded to the lawsuit by arguing that a glitch in the payroll system was responsible. “I apologize to everyone who was underpaid,” he wrote on Twitter. “We’re correcting it today.”
This year I fulfilled my dream to open in New York. I’ve had restaurants now for 25+ years but still learn every day! This week, we found a glitch in how we paid some wages in NYC- some underpaid, more overpaid. I apologize to everyone who was underpaid. We’re correcting it today
— José Andrés (@chefjoseandres) August 28, 2019
Braunstein’s lawyer remains unconvinced, arguing that there may be payroll law violations involved. Whatever the cause of the issue, it seems that this conflict won’t be resolved quickly.
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