Seattle’s Skillet to pay $324K for alleged wage-theft law violations, firings

After allegations of violating Seattle’s wage theft and sick/safe time ordinances and two unlawful firings, upscale diner chain Skillet has agreed to pay $318,782 to 181 employees in a settlement. The company will also pay $4,958 to the city of Seattle.

Allegations against the Skillet Group — which operates five outlets in the Seattle area — included failure to provide meal and rest breaks; menu and receipt verbiage suggesting that 100% of a service charge went to workers, when in fact none went to the front-of-house staff serving customers, and large portions went toward employee benefits and to kitchen staff; and that Skillet terminated one employee in retaliation for opposition to this service charge policy and terminated another for exercising their right to paid sick leave without covering their shift.

After an investigation by the city’s Office of Labor Standards, Skillet has also agreed to create and enact written policies for employee breaks and sick/safe time, according to an OLS news release. 

The Skillet Group “cooperated fully and transparently throughout the investigation process,” according to an email from Crellin Pauling, president, who says that the company’s “current practices align with all current ordinances, reflecting our dedication to maintaining a workplace that adheres to the highest standards. 

“The settlement serves as a catalyst for continuous improvement,” he continued, “and we are committed to fostering a workplace environment that not only complies with regulations but also prioritizes the well-being and rights of our employees.” Pauling added that the company is “grateful for the guidance provided by the OLS.” 

Of the settlement, former Skillet employee Zara Sedore-Mallin said, “Working in restaurants for a decade, I always assumed there was a legal exemption which meant we were not entitled to rest or meal breaks. There is not. That is illegal,” according to the OLS news release. “We have amazing labor laws in Seattle. You deserve to be able to eat, rest and earn your full wage when you are at work. You are legally entitled to do so.”

Skillet started in 2007 as an Airstream food truck, opening its first brick-and-mortar restaurant on Capitol Hill in 2011 and most recently adding a Post Alley location this summer.