Feds fine Mississippi Wingstop stores run by family of rapper Rick Ross

Rapper Rick Ross’ household, which operates a number of Wingstop franchises, owns the 5 Mississippi areas the labor division discovered to be illegally deducting cash from employees’ wages, leaving some with take-home pay lower than $7.25 an hour. 

The Division of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division says the Mississippi shops – beneath Boss Wing Enterprises – made their workers illegally pay for uniforms, security coaching, background checks, and even money register shortages. 

“Restaurant trade workers work arduous, typically for low wages, and plenty of depend upon each greenback earned to make ends meet,” Jackson’s Wage and Hour Division director, Audrey Corridor, stated in an announcement. “The regulation prevents Boss Wing Enterprises LLC from shifting working prices to employees … or to permit a employee’s pay to fall under the minimal wage fee.”

The rapper and Clarksdale native’s older sister and assistant, Tawanda Roberts, is listed because the registered agent and supervisor of Boss Wings Enterprises LLC in Mississippi, in keeping with enterprise data filed with the state. His mom, Tommie Roberts, can also be listed. Ross’ household has been rising its variety of Wingstop areas for the final decade. 

Final yr, the rapper posted to Instagram he gifted his 16-year-old son his first Wingstop franchise.

The DOL says it recovered $51,674 in wages owed to 244 employees and fined the franchise firm $62,753 in civil penalties. 

Tawanda Roberts didn’t reply to a request for remark to her enterprise e-mail relating to the DOL’s investigation. A Boss Wing consultant reached by cellphone advised a reporter to contact Wingstop’s company public relations division for remark, regardless that they function independently. In an announcement, Wingstop distanced itself from Boss Wings. 

“The eating places investigated by the DOL are owned and operated by a franchisee, not Wingstop Eating places Inc. Our franchise settlement requires all of our franchisees to function beneath our working requirements, which requires compliance with all legal guidelines and rules,” the corporate stated in an announcement. “We weren’t beforehand conscious of the DOL motion in opposition to Boss Wings LLC.” 

Throughout its investigation, the Wage and Hour Division discovered minimal wage violations due to improper paycheck deductions; extra time violations when the employer deducted wages for security coaching and background checks throughout weeks employees took further shifts; and violations for failing to take care of correct data of hours employees logged. 

Investigators additionally discovered a 15-year-old who illegally labored previous 10 p.m. final June. Federal regulation says younger teenagers can not work previous 7 p.m.

The DOL says it has uncovered greater than $34.7 million for greater than 29,000 employees within the meals service trade over the last fiscal yr. On the identical time, the Bureau of Labor Statistics continues to report report job openings within the service trade as an inflow of service employees start efforts to arrange unions. 

READ MORE: Starbucks workers and others making an attempt to unionize in Mississippi face decades-old hardships

“Employers who don’t respect their employees’ rights will possible battle to retain and recruit the folks they should stay aggressive, as employees search for alternatives with employers that do,” Corridor stated.

Ross and his sister have spoken publicly about their entry into the wing enterprise. The rapper – whose 2006 music “Hustlin” launched him to fame – advised Forbes in 2014 that he first considered opening a franchise of his favourite wing spot shortly after his music profession took off. 

Tawanda Roberts is an alum of Mississippi Valley State. Boss Wing lists its workplaces based mostly in Southaven in state data. The DOL named the Wingstop areas in Clarksdale, Tupelo, Starkville, Olive Department, and Oxford as a part of its investigation.

Ross lower the ribbon to open the downtown Clarksdale location in 2020. 

“This is a chance for jobs in Clarksdale and a possibility for the Black neighborhood,” Ross advised native media through the opening ceremony. “It will convey folks downtown and Clarksdale wants that.”

The rapper had a cluster of areas in Memphis, however Wingstop’s company workplace stated Boss Wings has transferred these areas to a brand new operator. Many of the household’s areas are all through the southeast and Miami, the place Ross lives.

It’s unclear what number of Wingstop areas the household now runs, however a Wingstop weblog stated Ross owned 28 as of 2019.