Gordon Ramsay Sued Over Unpaid Wages By Employees At His Fat Cow Restaurant

Gordon Ramsay Sued For Mistreating His Workers
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Prepare for a shocker. Gordon Ramsay is being sued for mistreating his employees.

Radar online is reporting that the celebrity chef known for hosting FOX reality TV shows "Kitchen Nightmares" and "Hell’s Kitchen" is facing a class action lawsuit brought by former employees of his Los Angeles restaurant The Fat Cow. The lawsuit doesn't involve the frank and at times verbally abusive outbursts that have made Ramsay famous, however. Rather, Ramsay faces allegations of a managerial nature, The Daily Mail points out.

The Fat Cow former employees Jennifer Becerra, Montinique Dever, Andrea Bourke and Lauren Benge said they were not properly compensated for overtime hours, and also were forced to work through meal times and other breaks.

In April, Ramsay faced two separate lawsuits over unpaid bills, one from his accountants in New York over an outstanding $75,000 invoice and another from the company he hired to renovate the Fat Cow, which claims it is owed $45,000.

Of the most recent lawsuit, a spokesperson for Ramsay told Radar Online, “we are aware there was a problem with [The Fat Cow's] previous management which has since been changed, but this is totally unacceptable if any truth to it.”

Correction: A previous version of this post incorrectly stated that both current and former employees of The Fat Cow are suing. The plaintiffs in the lawsuit include only former employees.

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Before You Go

10 Things The Fast Food Industry Doesn't Want You To Know
McDonald's Grew During The Recession(01 of10)
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McDonald's had higher sales growth in 2008 than in 2006 or 2007, opening nearly 600 stores that year, according to Slate. The chain was able to take advantage of Americans' recession tastes: Cheap, convenient food. (credit:Getty Images)
They Handle Food That Isn't Really Food(02 of10)
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One Reddit user claiming to be an ex-McDonald's worker said he once left a bag of chicken nuggets out on the counter for too long and "they melted. Into a pool of liquid." That didn't stop him from loving the nuggets, "still delicious," he wrote. (credit:Getty Images)
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More than 60 percent of low-wage workers are employed by big corporations, according to a July analysis by the National Employment Law Project. And more than 90 percent of those companies were profitable last year. (credit:Getty Images)
The Average Pay For A Fast Food Worker In New York City Is $9 Per Hour(04 of10)
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Fast food workers in New York City make an average of $9 per hour, according to the Village Voice. That comes to about $18,500 per year for full-time workers. (credit:Getty Images)
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The average hourly pay at McDonald's, Wendy's, Burger King and Taco Bell is less than $8 an hour, according to salary data cited by CNBC. (credit:Getty Images)
The Median Age Of A Fast Food Worker Is 28(08 of10)
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As more workers fight for limited jobs, many older employees are gravitating towards the fast food industry. The median age of a fast food worker is 28, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data cited by the Atlantic. For women, who make up two-thirds of the industry's employees, that age is 32. (credit:Getty Images)
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Fast food worker's went on strike in late November in New York City, showcasing a rare effort to organize the industry's workers. Labor leaders often don't make an effort to organize these workers because the high turnover makes the challenge daunting. (credit:Getty Images)
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For all their work, fast food workers get very little dough. The lowest paid job category in New York City is "Combined Food Service and Preparation Workers, Including Fast Food," according to Bureau of Labor Department Statistics cited by Salon. (credit:Getty Images)