Waffle House manager files lawsuit claiming she was not properly paid

NEW ORLEANS - A Waffle House manager is suing the restaurant claiming that it violated federal regulations by not properly paying her.

Brandy Williams filed a collective lawsuit against Waffle House Inc. on April 13 in federal court in New Orleans.

The defendant hired Williams as the store/unit manager at the Waffle House located in Gulfport, Miss. in May of 2009 and was paid at a minimum salary of $455 per week. Although she was called a manager, she had little to no discretion in operating her store, Williams claims.

Williams states that she often worked 12-18 hour days for six days a week.

The defendant is accused of having a company-wide policy of treating all of its store managers similarly and of profiting off of misclassifying the managers as exempt employees. The lawsuit argues that the managers are entitled to receive unpaid overtime wages under the Fair Labor Standards Act.

The plaintiff is asking the court for an award of unpaid wages, overtime compensation, liquidated damages, attorney's fees and costs, punitive damages, and interest.

Williams is represented by Ravi K. Sangisetty of Sangisetty & Samuels in New Orleans.

U.S. District Judge Martin L. C. Feldman is assigned to the case.

Case No. 2:12-cv-00950