Wage Theft Against Migrant Workers Under Investigation

When migrant workers stepped forward to tell their stories of abuse, exploitation, and wage theft on the job, the state Department of Labor (DOL) opened investigations into a construction company and two restaurants in New Haven. The Biden administration had just issued a new rule protecting immigrant workers from deportation if they help the government investigate labor abuses.

A press conference encouraged other workers to break the silence. “We need all immigrants to know that they can get help for wage theft,” said John Lugo, director of Unidad Latina en Acción. “We also call on the state and federal governments to provide legal services, so that the thousands of exploited workers can enjoy the benefits of this new regulation.”

Thirteen workers who had been employed by Palace Builders are seeking unpaid wages. Bella Vasquez told DOL, "The exploitation we lived through was very harsh. Art Banto, the owner of the company, did not pay us overtime and did not pay us at all for some weeks. During those weeks, I had to borrow money at high interest rates, and to this day I am still paying off those loans."

The press conference was held in front of Andy’s Restaurant and Bar on Sargant Drive, which is now closed. Former workers Lina Segura and Alexander Hernandez are seeking  nearly $20,000 in unpaid minimum wages and overtime for work from August 2022 to January 2023.  Instead of paying wages, owner Andres "Andy" Pastuzano gave free housing, until he stopped paying the rent and the workers were evicted.

Lina Segura told DOL, "Andy, the owner, told us we were like family and that he would pay us later. But after months of working hard and not receiving any money, we were more like Andy's slaves."

On August 23, 2022, former sushi chef Jose Luis Tlalmis filed a legal complaint against Miya's Sushi restaurant for $21,026 in unpaid minimum wages and overtime. Tlalmis said he was paid as little as $9.09 per hour when the CT minimum wage was $11.00 per hour, and the overtime wage should have been at least $16.50 per hour.  He worked from 66 to 83 hours per week.  Many weeks, the restaurant stole as much as $389 out of his paycheck.