Lawsuit Reopened Against Restaurant Chain

The on-again, off-again lawsuit filed against the Southern California El Pollo Inka restaurant chain for alleged labor violations is on again, after a federal judge allowed attorneys for former employees to file an amended complaint. U.S. District Judge Audrey Collins early last month had dismissed the suit, in which three former waiters accused the chain of paying them only tips and no hourly wages or overtime, after their attorneys failed to show up for a scheduled court hearing. Attorney Christopher Nicoll blamed a procedural mix-up, and amended the suit to add 18 plaintiffs and correct some errors in the original filing. Collins reopened the case on March 31. A trial date has not been set.