Skip to main content

Hernandez v. El Azteca y El Guanaco Rest Corp.

S.D.N.Y.December 9, 2021No. 1:20-cv-10316
SettlementEl Azteca y El Guanaco Rest Corp.$40,000 awarded
Facing something similar at work?Check your rights — free, private, no sign-up

Case Details

Nature of Suit — the legal category of the dispute
710 Labor: Fair Standards
Status — whether other courts must follow this ruling
Unknown
Procedural Posture — the stage the case had reached
consent decree

Related Laws

No specific laws identified for this ruling.

Claim Types

Wage TheftWrongful Termination

Outcome

The court approved a settlement of $40,000 in a Fair Labor Standards Act and New York Labor Law wage-and-hour collective action. The plaintiff recovered approximately 73% of his claimed back wages and 29% of his total damages claim.

What This Ruling Means

**Restaurant Worker Wage Dispute** This case involved a worker named Hernandez who sued the restaurant company El Azteca y El Guanaco for allegedly not paying proper wages. Hernandez claimed the restaurant violated federal wage laws, specifically the Fair Labor Standards Act, which sets rules for minimum wage and overtime pay. This type of lawsuit is common in the restaurant industry, where workers sometimes don't receive all the wages they're legally owed. The court documents don't specify exactly what the final outcome was or whether Hernandez received any money from the lawsuit. However, the case was filed in federal court, indicating it involved serious wage violation claims that could affect multiple workers. **Why This Matters for Workers:** This case highlights that restaurant workers have legal protections under federal law. If your employer doesn't pay minimum wage, fails to pay overtime, or withholds tips, you have the right to file a lawsuit. Even if the outcome isn't clear here, the fact that this case reached federal court shows that workers can challenge wage theft through the legal system. Restaurant employees should keep detailed records of their hours worked and wages received to protect themselves.

This summary was generated to explain the ruling in plain English and is not legal advice.

Browse Related

Facing something similar at work?

Court rulings like this one are useful, but every situation is different. Take 2 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.