Tao latest to be accused of cheating waiters
Lawsuit claims Midtown celebrity hangout failed to pay overtime and withheld tips from parties.



June 27. 2008 1:29PM Lisa Fickenscher

The trendy hotspot Tao is the latest restaurant on a growing list of high-profile New York eateries being sued for allegedly underpaying its servers.

A lawsuit filed on behalf of two former servers, Greg Prasker and Michelle Iarusso, also charges Tao failed to pay servers overtime and tips from parties. The suit was filed Thursday in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York.

Tao, at 42 E. 58th Street, is owned by Asia Five Eight, of which restaurateur Marc Packer is a principal. Tao, which attracts a celebrity clientele and has an outpost in Las Vegas, declined to comment.

Law firm Outten & Golden, which is representing the workers, is seeking class action status for the suit. The firm filed a similar complaint in March against a club in the Meatpacking district, Buddha Bar NYC. The restaurant has not yet filed a response.

The law firm also represented workers of the Fireman Hospitality Group, winning a $3.9 million settlement last week after a two-year battle. The group’s restaurants include Redeye Grill, Shelly’s, Trattoria Dell Arte, Café Fiorello, Brooklyn Diner and Brooklyn Diner Times Square, and Bond 45.

In both lawsuits, the workers are members of Restaurant Opportunities Center of New York, an advocacy group.

“We have represented many members of ROC NY, and if it wasn’t for ROC, restaurant workers would be even more exploited than they are already,” said Justin M. Swartz of Outten & Golden.

i hate to say it
oh who am i kidding i love to say it:

I TOLD YOU SO, BITCHEZ.

and oh by the way

this is coming right after the announcement of Tao Atlantic City ??

http://www.downbythehipster.com/blog/2008/...y-goes-tao.html

i mean seriously now-- how does one get funding with looming lawsuits and whatnot ? crazy

that's what i'd like to know.....................

Because the restaurant guys are only supplying the concept (managenment deal)

Union run hotels don't play loopholes

hahhhahha ahhahahaa
okay well that's even worse then, isn't it ?

HOW DO YA HIRE A MANAGEMENT FIRM THAT'S BEING SUED FOR BAD MANAGEMENT TACTICS ?



oh man i need to go for a walk or something

Because they won't manage a thing.............just supply the name and concept