Famed Seattle eatery pays $483,000 in wage theft case

SEATTLE (AP) — A venerable restaurant in Seattle’s Pike Place Market has agreed to pay $483,000 to settle wage theft allegations.

The Seattle Office of Labor Standards announced the settlement with Lowell’s Restaurant on Thursday.

Officials said Lowell’s, which has been open in one of the city’s top tourist attractions since 1957, withheld wages as well as sick and safe leave time from 186 workers, including former employees.

The city alleged that the restaurant failed to provide meal breaks and rest time to workers and failed to consistently provide paid sick and safe time.

The workers received about $482,000 of the settlement, with a little more than $1,000 going to the city. The restaurant’s management did not immediately return an email seeking comment.