“We haven’t gotten paid, some of us going on seven, eight weeks,” Finan said, “I’m behind a couple thousand myself.”
Six of the employees participated in the protest. They sat in the front of the restaurant, where customers usually grab a table to enjoy a pizza.
“The reason we are doing this is to let him (the owner) know that we are not working anymore, until we see the money we are promised,” said Finan, “We all expect to not have this job after this, we want to bring to light what he’s doing.”
This sit-in comes as the restaurant chain faces a lawsuit over similar allegations at the Wise Guys Pizza & More at 3451 E. National Road in Springfield.
In that suit, the Ohio Department of Commerce alleges that the state’s minimum wage laws were violated, and that 26 former employees are owed over $18,000 dollars in wages, overtime and statutory damages.
In a response March 1, owner Richard Allen denied any wrongdoing.
Allen told Newscenter 7 the Huber Heights employees were not telling the truth. He said they were getting paid weekly.
Huber Heights Police spokesman Lt. Mark Lightner said police did respond to the restaurant, the employees left the building peacefully, and the owners told them to not return.
Yuna Lee contributed to this story.