A group of 99 waitstaff sued the Newton, Mass., club, alleging that a 22% service charge added to diners’ restaurant tabs and catered events was not shared with them, as required by state law. The club maintains it never withheld tips from employees, either intentionally or unintentionally.
Charles River Country Club in Newton, Mass., has reached a tentative $120,000 settlement with a group of waitstaff who claimed the club illegally withheld tips, the Boston Globe reported.
The waitstaff had sued the country club, alleging it did not share a 22% service charge added to diners’ restaurant tabs and catered events with them, as required by Massachusetts state law. The suit states that club members were told the charges were gratuities, the Globe reported.
Dozens of Massachusetts establishments have been sued for similar tips issues in recent years, including the Harvard Club in Boston, which settled with workers for $4 million, and a Berkshires resort that reached a combined $7 million settlement with current and former employees, the Globe reported.
The Charles River settlement, which must be approved by a Norfolk Superior Court judge, will be distributed to 99 members of the waitstaff who worked there between March 2012 and March 2015. More than a third of the settlement will go toward attorneys’ fees and litigation costs, leaving approximately $72,500 to be shared among the workers, the Globe reported.
“This settlement will ensure fairness for the hard-working employees of Charles River County Club,” said Paul Holtzman of Krokidas & Bluestein, who represented the waitstaff, in a statement.
The club, which opened its golf course in 1921, maintains it never withheld tips from employees, either intentionally or unintentionally, although it has since changed its service charge policy. Details of the change were not outlined in the settlement, the Globe reported.
“Charles River has always acted with the highest integrity and in accordance with all laws and regulations at all times, and it explicitly reaffirms its denial of the claims its present and former employees have brought,” Brian Haney of Sweder & Ross, who represented the club, said in a statement. “However, Charles River is pleased to enter this agreement in order to allow this dispute to conclude without any further interruption to its employees’ lives or careers.”
Tell Us What You Think!
You must be logged in to post a comment.