KCRW Investigates
Burned: Wage theft
From cruelty-free meat, to the rise of celebrity chefs, diners are hungry for the storyline of their meals. However, while conscious eating is on the rise, there's no way to know how the cooks and kitchen workers are treated. Some don't get paid what they've earned, some work without overtime pay, some find their tips stolen, some work many hours off the clock.
By Karen Foshay • • 7m ListenIt's the age of celebrity chefs, eating local and plates so stunning they're posted on social media. Diners have embraced farm-to-table restaurants, but in the rise of conscious eating, there's no way to know how the cooks and kitchen workers are treated. In part one of Burned: Abuse in LA's Restaurant Industry, reporter Karen Foshay talks to low-wage restaurant workers who haven't gotten paid what they've earned. Some worked without overtime pay, some found their tips stolen, some worked many hours off the clock. UCLA researchers have estimated that a staggering $26 million is stolen from low-wage workers each week in LA, but a culture of fear keeps most from speaking out.
Find more features at KCRW.com/investigates.
Audio production for this series by Myke Dodge Weiskopf.
The series is supported by a grant from the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation.
Photo: California Labor Commissioner Julie Su works to stop wage theft. (Karen Foshay)