Former Chili's Employees Sue Brinker International Over Tipped Wages
Former Chili's employees filed a class-action lawsuit against Brinker International challenging New York's tipped minimum wage and alleging systemic workplace harassment.
Brinker International, the operator of Chili's and Maggiano’s Little Italy, faces a proposed class-action lawsuit filed by three former employees of a Chili's restaurant in Queens, New York. The plaintiffs seek to strike down the New York state policy that allows a lower minimum wage for tipped workers, arguing the law forces staff to rely on discretionary tips and increases their vulnerability to racial and sexual harassment.
The lawsuit alleges that Brinker promotes a corporate culture requiring employees to make customers "feel special" at the expense of their own safety and dignity. The plaintiffs specifically challenge the company's use of customer ratings to determine table assignments and scheduling, claiming the system is racially biased and pressures servers to accept unwanted advances to maintain high scores.
While the current filing focuses on New York, the plaintiffs' lawyers intend to expand the litigation to include a nationwide class of Chili's workers. Brinker International and the New York Attorney General’s office have not yet responded to requests for comment.
