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Meers restaurant owner accused of violating wage, child labor laws
Brianna Bailey by Brianna Bailey Published: December 28, 2015 Updated: Dec 28, 2015
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The U.S. Department of Labor accuses the owner of Meers Store & Restaurant in Meers of several wage and labor law violations [Photo by THE OKLAHOMAN ARCHIVES]
The U.S. Department of Labor accuses the owner of Meers Store & Restaurant in Meers of several wage and labor law violations [Photo by THE OKLAHOMAN ARCHIVES]
MEERS The U.S. Labor Department claims a Wichita Mountains roadside attraction famous for its pie tin-size burgers used unpaid children as young as 10 years old to bus tables, among other wage and labor violations.
In a U.S. District Court complaint filed Wednesday in Oklahoma City, the department said Meers Store & Restaurant owes more than $181,000 to workers for unpaid wages dating back to 2012.
Joe Maranto, who has owned Meers Store & Restaurant since 1983, denied the claims and said the action could force the restaurant into bankruptcy. Maranto's wife, Margaret Maranto, is also named as a defendant in the department's lawsuit as Meer's general manager.
"When we go bankrupt, there's going to be about 20 families including my own who will be hurt by this," Maranto said. "If I go bankrupt, I'm going to fix it as much as I can so the government doesn't get a damn thing."
The complaint accuses the 114-year old restaurant and store near the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge of several other federal labor violations, including paying some employees less than the federal minimum wage, failing to pay overtime and of paying workers "off the books," in some cases.
Meers failed to pay workers overtime pay when they worked more than 40 hours a week and some workers were even treated as unpaid "volunteers," according to the complaint.
Maranto denied those claims and said Meers' waitstaff earn the state-required $2.13 an hour for tipped workers, plus their tips.
Complaint detailed
The Department of Labor also accuses Meers of "oppressive child labor" practices that include failing to pay children age 10 to 17 for working to bus tables.
Photo - Photo - Historic Meers Store & Restaurant is famous for its Photo - The U.S. Department of Labor accuses the owner of Meers Store & Restaurant in Meers of several wage and labor law violations [Photo by THE OKLAHOMAN ARCHIVES]
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The complaint claims Meers did not record or keep track of the hours children worked at the restaurant. Some children worked more than 18 hours a week while in school and more than eight hours a day on non-school days, the complaint claims.
At least one child under the age of 18 operated hazardous equipment in the restaurant kitchen, including a meat slicer and dough mixer on a regular basis, according to the department.
Maranto said some of the waitresses have been allowed in the past to bring their children to the restaurant when they have been called in to work during a sudden rush and were unable to line up child care.
"They want us to pay the babies for being there and we're not allowed to do that," Maranto said. "I had no idea you are not allowed to do that. The little girl goes up to help mamma clean the table and we can't pay her."
'Willful' violations
In court documents, the department described Meers' violations of federal labor laws as "willful."
"Defendants' actions demonstrate an intentional effort to conceal the violations by manipulating time sheets and payroll records to account for a maximum of 40 hours a week with any additional hours paid in straight time in cash to employees at the end of each pay period," the complaint read. "Moreover, defendants' repeated false statements to investigators reflect their knowledge of the law and their intent to develop a scheme to avoid compliance."
The Labor Department said Thursday it could not comment on its case against Meers, or how the restaurant's labor practices came to the agency's attention.
"The U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division does not disclose why an investigation was originated," Juan Rodriguez, a spokesman for the agency said in an email.
The agency's civil action against Meers seeks a court order to force the restaurant to follow federal wage and labor laws, as well as to pay back wages to as many as 52 workers.
Meers Store & Restaurant is famous for its Meersburger, a 7-inch wide burger made from Texas Longhorn beef from the family ranch served in a pie tin.
The restaurant traces its origins to the founding of the town of Meers in the Wichita Mountains by a group of gold prospectors in 1901. The original business operated as a general store and print shop for the small town, according to the Meers website.
Meers restaurant owner accused of violating wage, child labor laws
Brianna Bailey by Brianna Bailey Published: December 28, 2015 Updated: Dec 28, 2015
35
shares
54
The U.S. Department of Labor accuses the owner of Meers Store & Restaurant in Meers of several wage and labor law violations [Photo by THE OKLAHOMAN ARCHIVES]
The U.S. Department of Labor accuses the owner of Meers Store & Restaurant in Meers of several wage and labor law violations [Photo by THE OKLAHOMAN ARCHIVES]
MEERS The U.S. Labor Department claims a Wichita Mountains roadside attraction famous for its pie tin-size burgers used unpaid children as young as 10 years old to bus tables, among other wage and labor violations.
In a U.S. District Court complaint filed Wednesday in Oklahoma City, the department said Meers Store & Restaurant owes more than $181,000 to workers for unpaid wages dating back to 2012.
Joe Maranto, who has owned Meers Store & Restaurant since 1983, denied the claims and said the action could force the restaurant into bankruptcy. Maranto's wife, Margaret Maranto, is also named as a defendant in the department's lawsuit as Meer's general manager.
"When we go bankrupt, there's going to be about 20 families including my own who will be hurt by this," Maranto said. "If I go bankrupt, I'm going to fix it as much as I can so the government doesn't get a damn thing."
The complaint accuses the 114-year old restaurant and store near the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge of several other federal labor violations, including paying some employees less than the federal minimum wage, failing to pay overtime and of paying workers "off the books," in some cases.
Meers failed to pay workers overtime pay when they worked more than 40 hours a week and some workers were even treated as unpaid "volunteers," according to the complaint.
Maranto denied those claims and said Meers' waitstaff earn the state-required $2.13 an hour for tipped workers, plus their tips.
Complaint detailed
The Department of Labor also accuses Meers of "oppressive child labor" practices that include failing to pay children age 10 to 17 for working to bus tables.
Photo - Photo - Historic Meers Store & Restaurant is famous for its Photo - The U.S. Department of Labor accuses the owner of Meers Store & Restaurant in Meers of several wage and labor law violations [Photo by THE OKLAHOMAN ARCHIVES]
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The complaint claims Meers did not record or keep track of the hours children worked at the restaurant. Some children worked more than 18 hours a week while in school and more than eight hours a day on non-school days, the complaint claims.
At least one child under the age of 18 operated hazardous equipment in the restaurant kitchen, including a meat slicer and dough mixer on a regular basis, according to the department.
Maranto said some of the waitresses have been allowed in the past to bring their children to the restaurant when they have been called in to work during a sudden rush and were unable to line up child care.
"They want us to pay the babies for being there and we're not allowed to do that," Maranto said. "I had no idea you are not allowed to do that. The little girl goes up to help mamma clean the table and we can't pay her."
'Willful' violations
In court documents, the department described Meers' violations of federal labor laws as "willful."
"Defendants' actions demonstrate an intentional effort to conceal the violations by manipulating time sheets and payroll records to account for a maximum of 40 hours a week with any additional hours paid in straight time in cash to employees at the end of each pay period," the complaint read. "Moreover, defendants' repeated false statements to investigators reflect their knowledge of the law and their intent to develop a scheme to avoid compliance."
The Labor Department said Thursday it could not comment on its case against Meers, or how the restaurant's labor practices came to the agency's attention.
"The U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division does not disclose why an investigation was originated," Juan Rodriguez, a spokesman for the agency said in an email.
The agency's civil action against Meers seeks a court order to force the restaurant to follow federal wage and labor laws, as well as to pay back wages to as many as 52 workers.
Meers Store & Restaurant is famous for its Meersburger, a 7-inch wide burger made from Texas Longhorn beef from the family ranch served in a pie tin.
The restaurant traces its origins to the founding of the town of Meers in the Wichita Mountains by a group of gold prospectors in 1901. The original business operated as a general store and print shop for the small town, according to the Meers website.
