Gina La Fornarina Restaurants Forced to Pay $363,284 to Employees for Violations

The former location of Gina La Fornarina on 73rd and Amsterdam, which was cited for labor violations.

By Hannah Reale

Several “Gina La Fornarina” restaurants have been forced to pay 109 employees a total of $363,284 in back wages and liquidated damages after an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor found faults in the restaurants’ record-keeping and overtime pay. The amount owed averages out to over $3,000 per employee, the department said.

Gina La Fornarina at 279 Amsterdam Avenue at 73rd Street, which has since closed, was one of the ones named in the Department of Labor’s press release on the issue. After closing that location, a new Gina opened on 70th and Broadway. The Gina restaurants cited by the department are owned by Paola Pedrignani.

“WHD investigators found that the business failed to aggregate hours for overtime purposes when employees worked at multiple locations or performed two different roles at the same location in the same workweek, with employees receiving separate checks for work in each location,” the department said. “The employer also paid certain kitchen employees and pizza chefs on a salaried basis without paying overtime when they worked more than 40 hours in a workweek.”

“The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, following a bench trial, ruled that the violations were willful and ordered the defendants to pay the back wages and damages,” the release continued. “The restaurants and Pedrignani have paid the full amount as well as court costs and post-judgment interest.”

Gina La Fornarina’s owners did not respond to requests for comment.