Kallmyer v. Capital Grille of Maryland, LLC
Case Details
- Nature of Suit — the legal category of the dispute
- Labor: Fair Standards
- Status — whether other courts must follow this ruling
- Unknown
- Procedural Posture — the stage the case had reached
- consent decree
- State
- Maryland
- Circuit
- Fourth Circuit
Related Laws
No specific laws identified for this ruling.
Claim Types
Outcome
Court approved a settlement agreement whereby the defendant restaurant agreed to pay 17 tipped employees a total of $8,867.60 in damages for claims that the employer violated the Fair Labor Standards Act and Maryland wage law by failing to pay minimum wage for non-tip-generating work.
What This Ruling Means
Capital Grille Settlement Summary
What Happened
Seventeen tipped employees at Capital Grille of Maryland sued their employer, claiming they weren't paid fairly. The restaurant allegedly violated wage laws by not paying minimum wage when workers performed tasks that didn't generate tips—such as cleaning, restocking, or food preparation. Under federal and Maryland law, employers must ensure tipped workers earn at least minimum wage for all hours worked, not just when they're directly serving customers.
What the Court Decided
The court approved a settlement requiring Capital Grille to pay the 17 workers $8,867.60 in total damages. This resolved the wage theft claims without the case going to trial.
Why This Matters
This case reinforces an important worker protection: tipped employees have the right to full minimum wage for every hour worked, regardless of whether they're actively earning tips. Employers cannot use tips to justify paying less than minimum wage for non-tipping work. If you work in food service or hospitality and believe you haven't been paid fairly for certain tasks, this ruling shows courts will hold employers accountable.
This summary was generated to explain the ruling in plain English and is not legal advice.
Similar Rulings
Browse Related
Facing something similar at work?
Court rulings like this one are useful, but every situation is different. Take 3 minutes to see which laws may protect you — it's free, private, and no account is required to start.
This ruling information is sourced from public court records via CourtListener.com. Case outcomes, claim types, and summaries are extracted using AI analysis and may be incomplete or inaccurate. It is provided for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice.
See something wrong, or named in this ruling and want it corrected or redacted? Request a correction.