Bedford-Stuyvesant

Edna’s Soul Food Restaurant workers to receive owed back pay

May 7, 2015 Brooklyn Daily Eagle
Brooklyn DA Kenneth Thompson. Eagle Youtube file screenshot
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The owner of a Brownsville soul-food restaurant has been sentenced to prison for failing to pay his employees close to $17,000 in back wages, the Brooklyn Daily Eagle has learned.

The defendant, Earl Davis, resides in Bedford-Stuyvesant. Davis previously pleaded guilty to one count of an attempted scheme to defraud. Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Danny Chun presided over Davis’ sentencing.

Davis owned Edna’s Soul Food Restaurant on Atlantic Avenue in Brownsville, serving as the restaurant’s president as well as running the day-to-day operations. 

 According to the Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office, from October 2013 to July 2014, Davis employed at least 15 people to work at the take-out and delivery restaurant.

Davis promised to pay the workers $8 to $10 an hour to work, and when the employees were paid, it was in cash without paystubs. At times, the workers’ checks would bounce. The DA’s Office states that Davis confiscated the workers’ tips, refused to pay overtime and ultimately failed to pay the workers all the wages owed to them for up to two months of work.

The initial investigation revealed $8,000 in back wages; however, further discovery revealed additional employees who were owed wages. The total amount owed in back wages totaled more than $17,000.

“This defendant brazenly stole the hard-earned money of his victims,” said Brooklyn District Attorney Ken Thompson.  

The DA’s Labor Frauds Unit initiated the investigation following a call to the unit’s helpline.  It has been reported that Davis was also verbally abusive toward the workers and regularly argued with, yelled at, physically attacked and fired workers who asked for their wages.

Davis’ partner, Patrick Tassey, was indicted in January and his case is still open.  Tassey has not pleaded guilty and has been remanded due to violations of probation, the DA’s Office has confirmed.  Tassey, who was the restaurant’s vice president, returns to court on Edna’s Soul Food case on May 13.

 

-Information provided by the Kings County District Attorney Office

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