More than $935,000 in employee back wages not paid, federal lawsuit against Jefferson City restaurant alleges

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)

The Department of Labor filed a lawsuit against a Jefferson City Chinese restaurant on Tuesday after it claimed that $935,920.48 in back wages have not been paid to employees.

The complaint alleges that Dragon Kitchen – in the 2200 block of Missouri Boulevard – and Danny Cheng did not fully pay its employees from Dec. 21, 2021-Dec. 20, 2023.

The lawsuit claims that front-of-house employees were only paid with cash and credit tips from customers and that the business was required to pay them at least the federal minimum wage of $7.25 an hour. The petition also says back-of-house employees were paid in cash that did not cover all hours worked, including overtime wages.  

The lawsuit alleges 26 employees are owed wages.