Cook paid $35K in back wages

Flushing resident Sun Ja Yi came to Queens from Korea, eventually finding a job where she put in long, hard hours only to have wages withheld from her. However, through recent legal action, she received compensation totaling $35,493.
In 2001, Yi, 65, was hired as a cook at Flushing’s Club Paradise. She also washed dishes and cleaned bathrooms. Yi worked there six days a week, putting in about 60 hours each week including 15 hours of work each Saturday and Sunday.
Although Yi was supposed to be receiving $600 a week, that was not the case. She also was not paid for overtime work.
“For all her hard work, she was not paid the legal overtime nor the proper spread of hourly wages as well,” said Steven Choi, a staff attorney for the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund (AALDEF) and director of the Korean Workers Project.
Yi remained at Club Paradise for about four years, leaving when her husband was ill due to liver cancer. Following the death of her husband, and having nothing, Yi approached her former employer about her back wages and said she was met with anger and screaming over the phone.
A friend recommended that Yi seek help from YKASEC, which works in conjunction with AALDEF. Yi said that, from the very beginning, she had faith that they would be able to help her. She was represented by Choi and pro bono co-counsel Reiko Cyr, who is with Constantine Cannon LLP.
After receiving her settlement, Yi said that she was very thankful for the help she was given.
“We are glad the defendant has paid the judgment Ms. Yi received in federal court and was entitled to,” Choi said. “Employment laws are in place to protect workers from exploitative conditions, and Club Paradise wrongfully withheld from Ms. Yi her rightful wages.”