The United States Department of Labor recovered $732,976 for 31 workers at Miyako Japanese Buffet, a Japanese buffet, sushi, and seafood restaurant located on South Federal Highway, in Pompano Beach, Florida. The federal investigation, conducted by the Wage and Hour Division, identified a series of labor violations committed by Lucky King LLC, the owner of the establishment.
According to investigators, the company paid most employees a fixed monthly salary between $1,000 and $3,000, even when employees typically worked more than 40 hours per week. The employer failed to pay the minimum wage for all hours actually worked and did not comply with recordkeeping requirements, violating the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). In total, the 31 affected employees were entitled to receive approximately $23,644 each.
The case highlights that, in the United States, paying a fixed monthly salary does not automatically eliminate the employer's obligation to pay overtime. According to federal law, most employees entitled to FLSA protections must receive additional pay whenever they work more than 40 hours in a week, regardless of whether they receive a fixed salary or an hourly wage.
The recovery of funds occurs at a time of progressive increase in Florida's minimum wage. According to Amendment 2, approved by state voters, the minimum wage rose to $13.00 per hour in September 2024, increased to $14.00 in September 2025, and is expected to reach $15.00 per hour by September 30 of this year. So far, Lucky King LLC has not publicly commented on the case.
