Earlier this year, David Meinert settled a class-action lawsuit related to wages at his two Seattle restaurants, 5 Point Cafe and Mecca Cafe.The suit alleged that Meinert failed to pay overtime, withheld wages and failed to provide proper meal and rest breaks. It was led by named plaintiff Jesus Ayala, a former employee, and the class totaled 156 people. A settlement agreement was finalized and approved in King County Superior Court in June.The maximum payment to the class mandated by the settlement is $325,000 — minus at...
Earlier this year, David Meinert settled a class-action lawsuit related to wages at his two Seattle restaurants, 5 Point Cafe and Mecca Cafe.
The suit alleged that Meinert failed to pay overtime, withheld wages and failed to provide proper meal and rest breaks. It was led by named plaintiff Jesus Ayala, a former employee, and the class totaled 156 people. A settlement agreement was finalized and approved in King County Superior Court in June.
The maximum payment to the class mandated by the settlement is $325,000 — minus attorney fees and $20,000 to Ayala “as an incentive payment in recognition for his role in this case” and “for the full release of his known and unknown claims with defendants,” namely Meinert and his businesses.
Remaining money will be paid out to the class.
Meinert says the settlement was a business decision, maintaining his refutation of the allegations in the suit.
“We have always strived to treat our employees fairly and in compliance with the law, both before and after this lawsuit. We believe we have been overwhelmingly successful in that regard,” Meinert said Friday in a statement to The Seattle Times. While disputing the suit’s allegations, Meinert’s team “made a business decision to resolve the lawsuit in a manner that we believe was in the best interest of both the company and the employees impacted.”
Attorneys for the plaintiff and class, Entente Law of Puyallup, declined comment on this story.
Meinert, once a major voice in Seattle entertainment, food and politics, retreated from the public eye in 2018 following multiple accusations of sexual misconduct, including sexual assault and rape. Meinert denied the allegations, which were never litigated in court, and re-emerged a year later, buying the historic Mecca Cafe in Lower Queen Anne in 2019.
Though his portfolio of local businesses has contracted to Seattle’s Mecca and 5 Point cafes, and Huckleberry Restaurant in Burien, Meinert’s Seattle footprint was once sprawling. He has founded, owned, produced or led the Big Mario’s pizza chain, Capitol Hill Block Party, the Comet Tavern, Onto Entertainment and the Vera Project. Decades ago, Meinert became a de facto lobbyist for Capitol Hill in city hall, where he railed against Seattle’s Teen Dance Ordinance and championed the city’s nightlife scene.
Wage theft is the failure of employers to pay employees what they’re legally owed. It happens to workers in many industries, but a Seattle Times report in April showed food service generates more wage theft complaints in Washington than any other type of business.
Jackie Varriano; covers the food scene in the neighborhoods around Seattle. She loves digging into stories that discuss why we eat the things we do — and when — in our region and beyond. Reach her at [email protected]. On Twitter: @JackieVarriano.