PAID $300 A WEEK FOR 70 HOURS OVER 5 YEARS. THREATENED WHEN SEEKING BACKPAY.
A boss who exploited a chef for over 5 years, owing tens of thousands of dollars, is accused of sending goons to threaten the victim when he asked for his money. .
Monty Patel, the owner of the famous Wellington chain of Tulsi cafes, and the popular Masala Restaurant and Bar. The Tulsi cafes have been voted consistently one of Wellington’s top restaurant chains. Even Lonely Planet recommends them.
Yet at least one worker has been feeding the Wellington dining crowd on slave wages. For most of the past 5 years this chef was required to work 70 hour a week and paid only $300 a week – an average $4.28 an hour. The employment agreements show 40 hours a week. However tax records show the chef was paid for an average of 22 hours.