A federal judge has ordered the operators of 14 Bay Area Subway sandwich shops to sell or shut down the businesses and pay employees nearly $1 million in back wages and damages, the U.S. Labor Department said last week.
John Michael Meza and his wife, Jessica L. Meza, have until Nov. 27 to dispose of the businesses in Antioch, Clayton, Concord, Cotati, Napa, Petaluma, San Pablo, Santa Rosa, Vallejo and Windsor, the Labor Department said in a statement.
Investigators with the Wage and Hour Division determined the couple failed to pay wages regularly, bounced paychecks, stole tips left by customers, put children as young as 14 to work with dangerous equipment and scheduled minors for unlawful work hours, according to the department.
Under a consent judgment issued Sept. 27, the Mezas were ordered to pay 184 workers $475,000 in wages, overtime and tips and another $475,000 in damages. The court also ordered them to pay $150,000 in penalties.