Popular Park Slope restaurant faces $3 million tab in unpaid wages case

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Happy Hippopotamus

A Park Slope restaurant is facing a staggering $3 million bill after being found guilty of failing to pay its employees hundreds of thousands of dollars in back wages, overtime, and penalties. Indian Spice, an Indian eatery at 351 Seventh Avenue, has been ordered to compensate five former workers for their years of unpaid labor.

According to the New York State Department of Labor, the restaurant's owner, Mariam Khandakar, failed to pay her employees a minimum wage, denied them lunch breaks, and did not maintain accurate payroll records. The violations occurred over several years, with some instances dating back as far as 2016.

The workers, all from Bangladesh, reportedly worked long hours – often exceeding 80 hours per week – without receiving overtime pay. One former employee, Raju Ahmed, claimed he only received time off on holidays like Thanksgiving or Eid, and was forced to work seven days a week for years.

Khandakar's failure to address these issues has led to a significant bill for the restaurant owner, with Ahmed alone owed $308,000 in back wages. If she fails to pay, the department can place a lien on her property.

This case highlights the growing problem of labor exploitation in New York City, particularly among newer immigrant workers who may not have the same level of familiarity with local laws and regulations. Brooklyn Councilmember Shahana Hanif welcomed the Department of Labor's findings and urged other workers to visit the website of the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection if they are victims of wage theft.

The Workers Justice Project, which assisted the former Indian Spice employees with their claims, reported similar instances of unpaid workers being warned that they would be reported to federal immigration authorities if they pressed their wage claims. However, city and state officials have consistently stated that workers' lack of legal immigration status is no barrier to recovering unpaid wages.

Indian Spice's case serves as a stark reminder of the importance of fair labor practices in New York City. As Nicole Salk, a staff attorney at Brooklyn Legal Services, noted, "Not only is she not paying them the wages that they're owed, but they are doubly being punished because she hadn't reported their wages to the tax authorities."
 
I just had the craziest thought - have you guys ever noticed how some restaurants' menus just copy off each other? Like, I'm at this trendy spot in Williamsburg and I see "Spicy Chicken Tikka Masala" on the menu, and then I think, "Wait, isn't that the same dish they serve at that Indian place down the street?" 🤔 Meanwhile, back to Indian Spice... yeah, it's just terrible what happened there. These workers were basically slaves... I mean, who does that? Anyway, has anyone tried that new Indian food truck in Brooklyn? I heard it's legit 🍴
 
🤯 The recent case of Indian Spice restaurant highlights the pressing issue of labor exploitation in New York City 🗽️. It's astonishing that the owner, Mariam Khandakar, was able to operate for years without addressing these serious violations, putting her employees' livelihoods at risk 🚫. This case underscores the need for robust labor protections and education programs to support newer immigrant workers 👥. The fact that some former employees were allegedly warned that they would be reported to federal immigration authorities if they pressed their wage claims is a stark reminder of the vulnerability of undocumented workers 💔. It's essential that we prioritize fair labor practices and ensure that all workers receive the compensation they deserve 🤑.
 
omg this is so sad 🤕 Indian Spice just got hammered with a $3 mil bill for screwing over their employees. like who does that? Mariam Khandakar is literally the worst, denying workers lunch breaks & overtime pay, and even forced one guy to work 7 days a week... that's not even human. it's not just sad for the workers but also for the community cuz they're getting taken advantage of. labor exploitation is a huge problem especially with new immigrants who might not know the laws & regulations. we need more people like Shahana Hanif advocating for workers' rights! 🙌
 
man this is wild $3 mil is crazy like what even happens in a year and how do people get so taken advantage of? i feel bad for those workers who gotta live on like $10 an hour and work 80hrs wk no lunch breaks lol they deserve so much better our city needs more ppl looking out for these new immigrants especially
 
This whole thing is just wild 🤯! Like, can you even imagine having to work 80 hours a week and not getting a dime extra for it? It's ridiculous. And the fact that someone would do this on purpose... I don't even know what to say 😷. The worker who was owed $308k in back wages is seriously missing out 🤑. And it's not just them, but like, all those other workers who were affected too. This whole situation is a total nightmare 💔. What really gets me is that the owner knew about these issues and did nothing to fix them. Like, what kind of business owner doesn't care about their employees' well-being? 🤷‍♀️
 
I am literally SHAKING with anger thinking about Indian Spice and Mariam Khandakar's blatant disregard for human rights 🤯! $3 million is just a drop in the ocean compared to what these poor workers went through. I mean, can you imagine working 80 hours a week without break, forced to live on minimum wage, and being told to shut up or face deportation? It's a nightmare come true! 😱 And now, Khandakar gets to hide behind her property and just... forgets about it? No way! 💯

This is what happens when corporate greed meets human exploitation. Newsflash: workers are not robots, they have feelings and deserve to be paid fairly! I'm so fed up with the lack of accountability in this city. We need more people like Brooklyn Councilmember Shahana Hanif speaking out against wage theft and supporting our marginalized communities 💪.

I don't even know how many times I've seen stories like Indian Spice's before, but it never gets old. It's always the same – poor workers, exploited by wealthy business owners who think they're above the law 🤑. Not anymore! We need to hold people like Khandakar accountable and make sure that our laws protect workers, not just the privileged few 🙌.

I'm going to keep spreading awareness about this issue until someone listens 👊. We deserve better than exploitation and inequality. It's time for change 💥!
 
🤕 this is wild - $3 million for underpaying workers? it's like, what kinda business model is that?! 🤑 i mean, yeah, labor laws need to be tough on places like Indian Spice, but also we gotta support the workers who are already in a vulnerable spot because of their immigration status. 💼 it's not just about the money, it's about basic human rights too. 👎 gotta keep an eye on this one and make sure the owners don't try to wriggle outta paying up! 🚫
 
I don’t usually comment but... this case with Indian Spice just breaks my heart 🤕. I mean, can you imagine working like 80 hours a week without getting paid overtime? It's just not right. And to think that some people are taking advantage of these workers because they're new here and don't know the laws yet? That's just despicable 😡.

And what really gets me is that some of these workers were even told they'd be reported to immigration authorities if they complained about their wages. Like, what kind of person does that? 🙄. It's not fair to them, it's not fair to the community, and it's not fair to our country as a whole.

I think this case highlights just how important it is for us to have laws in place to protect workers' rights, especially those who are new to the country or don't speak English fluently. We need to make sure everyone knows their rights and has access to resources to report any exploitation or wage theft. It's just common decency 🙏.
 
Ugh, this Indian Spice place is literally scaring me rn 🤯 I mean, $3 million is a lot of money and the fact that the owners were exploiting these Bangladeshi workers for years is just mind-boggling. How many others are out there suffering like this? It's not just about the money, it's about dignity and respect for human labor... I don't even know how they got away with it for so long 🤷‍♀️ Anyway, I hope Mariam Khandakar is able to pay up or else she'll be facing some serious consequences 👮‍♀️. It just goes to show that some people have no qualms about taking advantage of others...
 
Ugh, can you believe this?! $3 million?! The owners gotta step up their game! I mean, it's just basic math – if employees worked 80+ hours a week and didn't get overtime, that's some serious money owed. And the worst part is those workers were from Bangladesh, so they probably didn't know any better 🤯. Like, come on, own up to your mistakes, Mariam! You can't just ignore the law and hope it goes away 👎. And what's with the tax authorities not getting involved sooner?! That's just another layer of incompetence 💸. Anyway, glad the workers are finally getting some justice 🙏, now let's hope Indian Spice cleans up its act before they lose their business license 🚫
 
OMG this is so crazy how one person can be putting so many people in a bad spot like that 💸👎 I'm literally shook by all these workers having to work 80+ hours a week and still not get paid properly. What's wrong with some people, right? 😒 The fact that they were even denied lunch breaks is just another level of exploitation 🤯 It's a good thing those workers are getting the justice they deserve now, but I hope the owner, Mariam Khandakar, pays up ASAP and doesn't try to hide behind her property liens 💸👀
 
🚨💸 The stats are crazy! 🤯 $3 million in fines + $308,000 in back wages = $3.308 MILLION 💸 for one restaurant bill. I mean, come on! That's like paying the entire staff of a small business in Brooklyn each month for a year... and it's not just about the money, it's about respect and fairness too 🙏. 5 former workers from Bangladesh worked 80+ hours/week with no overtime pay? 😲 That's exploitation plain and simple. According to the NYC Department of Labor, there were 10k reported cases of wage theft in 2023 alone 📊. The Workers Justice Project says similar cases happen all the time because of fear of deportation. We need better protections for immigrant workers and stronger labor laws in NYC. 💪
 
I'm so shocked by this story 🤯! $3 million bill is like, insane 💸. I mean, who does that? It's just not right that these workers were exploited for so long without getting fair pay or benefits. And it's even worse that they were threatened with deportation if they spoke up about their wages 🚫. It's crazy to me how many people still don't understand the importance of fair labor practices and respecting workers' rights. We need more places like Indian Spice being held accountable for this kind of behavior 👊.
 
I feel bad for Mariam Khandakar, you know? She's just a small business owner trying to make ends meet, and this $3 million bill is like a ton of bricks. I mean, it's not her fault that some of her employees didn't know their rights or were too scared to speak up. And to be honest, the whole thing feels like a big mess. The Workers Justice Project saying they'd get reported to immigration authorities if they pressed their claims? That's just cruel. City and state officials say it's not an issue, but what about the workers who are already suffering? It's just not right 🤔👎
 
Man, this case with Indian Spice restaurant is like, super eye-opening 🤯... I mean, $3 million bill? That's just crazy. And think about these workers, Raju Ahmed and others, working 80 hours a week without overtime pay, being denied lunch breaks... it's like they were treated as machines or something 🤖. It makes me wonder, what kind of system allows this to happen in a place like New York City? We're always talking about how great our city is, but when it comes to labor exploitation, we gotta ask ourselves if we're doing enough to protect our workers 👥.

And what's even more messed up is that some of these workers were warned they'd be reported to immigration authorities if they claimed their wages. That's like, a whole different level of exploitation 🚫... I mean, shouldn't workers have the right to speak out against unfair labor practices? It just highlights how vulnerable some workers can be in this city.

It's times like these that make me think we need to do more to educate new immigrant workers about their rights and protect them from places like Indian Spice. We gotta create a system where no one has to suffer through this kind of wage theft 🙅‍♂️...
 
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