Earlier this week it was reported that Rick Ross and his family had been fined by the Department of Labor for labor violations occurring at 5 of his Wingstop locations in Mississippi.
Ross was subject to $114,427 worth of fines, including over $50k in back pay and over $60k in penalties. Violations included making employees pay for uniforms and background checks, taking money out of employees checks if registers were short, leaving some employees making less than the federallly mandated $7.25/hr. A 15 year old even worked until 10p.m., 3 hours past the 7p.m. cut off time for employees under 18.
Earlier today, August 17, Ross took to Instagram where he addressed the reports in a video, taking full accountability for them.
“I’ma take time to address something. When you running a business, there will be mistakes,” Ross said. “But as the biggest boss, you never make the same mistake twice. You see, accountability. Taking accountability is big when you’re the biggest. And remember this: most successful people don’t take stumbling as a setback but actually, a stepping stone to greater things, you heard me? Let’s be great.”
Following the investigation, DOL Division District Director Audrey Hall said in a statement “restaurant industry employees work hard, often for low wages, and many depend on every dollar earned to make ends meet. The law prevents Boss Wing Enterprises LLC from shifting operating costs to workers by deducting the costs of uniforms, cash register shortages or training expenses, or to allow a worker’s pay to fall below the minimum wage rate.”
