Versace Mansion Eatery Set for Partial Win in Server Wage Suit

Gianni’s Restaurant at the former Versace Mansion moved closer to dismissing claims that it cheated more than 25 servers and bartenders out of minimum wages, but may still have to litigate related overtime claims, a federal magistrate judge in Miami said.

The suit alleges the restaurant violated minimum wage law by only paying them $5.65 per hour plus an automatic fee.

But the fees qualify as service charges, not tips, under the Fair Labor Standards Act and Florida law, and thus may satisfy the restaurant’s minimum wage obligations, Magistrate Judge Edwin G. Torres said Tuesday. It’s undisputed that the workers ...