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The U.S. government has filed a lawsuit against Casa Maria Mexican Grill over unpaid wages the business allegedly owes to its employees.
Casa Maria is a local chain of Mexican restaurants with three locations—one in Baton Rouge, one in Gonzales and one in Watson. The business owes over $87,000, according to the lawsuit filed with the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Louisiana on Dec. 4.
The case dates back to a U.S. Department of Labor investigation into Casa Maria’s operations and co-owner Fahim Jamil that took place from February 2016 to February 2018. During that period, investigators found that the business failed to pay 45 employees their rightful wages, violating the Fair Labor Standards Act. The unpaid wages totaled $53,615.81.
In September 2018, Casa Maria agreed to a settlement to avoid litigation and repay the owed amount, documents show. However, the business did not meet the terms of that agreement, and the debt became delinquent later that year. The case was subsequently referred to the U.S. Department of the Treasury for collection.
Despite multiple demands for payment from federal agencies, Casa Maria has yet to resolve the debt. As a result, the lawsuit seeks to recover the outstanding balance.
That balance includes the original unpaid wages, interest calculated at 1% annually and penalties calculated at 6% annually, as well as additional administrative fees. As of October 2024, the total amount owed stands at $87,864.23. Casa Maria has 21 days from the date of receiving its summons to respond to the complaint.
If the court rules in favor of the federal government, Casa Maria will be required to pay the total amount owed as well as any additional legal costs.
Representatives from Casa Maria were unable to be reached for comment before this morning’s publication deadline.
