Beverly Hills Sushi Bar Urasawa Fined for Wage Violations

Urasawa, the Beverly Hills sushi restaurant renowned for its cuisine and $395-per-person pricetag, was ordered to pay $65,785 in fines and unpaid wages to settle a complaint brought by the state Labor Commissioner, it was announced today.

The investigation at Urasawa found that kitchen staff regularly worked more than 10 hours each day without overtime pay, rest breaks or meal breaks, according to California Labor Commissioner Julie A. Su.

It was further found that the Rodeo Drive eatery -- where diners feast on an omakase-only, "chef's choice" menu -- failed to provide its eight workers with itemized wage statements listing hours worked and rate of pay, as required by law, Su said.

As a result of the probe, three workers are due $38,585 in unpaid wages such as overtime and meal or rest breaks, while an $18,500 penalty was issued for failure to provide wage deduction statements, and an $8,700 penalty was levied for failure to pay overtime and to provide rest and meal periods, Su said.

"We are committed to ensuring a just day's pay for a hard day's work whether you wash dishes and wait tables in Chinatown or Beverly Hills," Su said. "The labor laws of our state should be respected in every workplace in California."

The Labor Commissioner adjudicates wage claims, investigates discrimination and public works complaints and enforces state labor law.