In the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, Eastern Division, plaintiffs Mariano Antonio Soto De Leon and Adem Alkan have filed a lawsuit against King Pho Chicago, LLC and Hoang Viet Nguyen. The case, numbered 1:24-cv-3261, was filed on April 23, 2024. The lawsuit alleges violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), the Illinois Minimum Wage Law (IMWL), and the Chicago Minimum Wage and Paid Sick Leave Ordinance (CMWO) due to defendants' failure to pay statutory minimum wages and overtime compensation.
The plaintiffs are represented by attorney Timothy M. Nolan of the Nolan Law Office. They were employed as dishwashers, cooks, and bussers at King Pho restaurant owned by the defendants. The alleged wage violations occurred between January 9, 2023 through April 22, 2024. The defendants' restaurant reportedly earned more than $500,000 in annual gross revenue during this period.
Hoang Viet Nguyen is identified as an owner and manager of King Pho restaurant with extensive oversight over its business operations including payroll and wage practices. He allegedly paid plaintiffs on a per diem basis with unreported cash in amounts ranging from $140 to $170 per day.
The plaintiffs are seeking judgment for their unpaid minimum wages and overtime compensation along with other damages under FLSA, IMWL, and CMWO.