A federal judge has found a Wichita restaurant in contempt of court for failing to comply with provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act.
China Star of Wichita is owned by Hank Luc and Xin G. Chen.
Magistrate Judge Karen Humphries ordered them to pay more than $223-thousand in back wages and damages to 11 employees.
The U-S Labor Department's Wage & Hour Division says its investigation found that the restaurant's cooks, dishwahers and busboys were paid a flat rate in cash, without regard to overtime compensation for more than 40 hours of work a week.
The employees often were paid less than the federal minimum wage, receiving an average hourly rate of $4.90.
The Labor Department sucessfully argued the defendants violated a 2008 judgement, which had resolved a previous suit on similar violations.
