Otium employees say they have not been paid after the restaurant closed

Employees at a once-popular Los Angeles restaurant took to the streets this week to protest a lack of wages.

Employees at shuttered fine dining restaurant Otium say they haven't received their final paychecks after the restaurant closed on Sept. 8, Eater LA reported Wednesday. That same day, they protested outside the restaurant, holding signs that read “Wage theft is a crime, pay people for their time” and carrying signs that read “Owe-tium.”

“Despite our dedication and hard work, we have not received our last two paychecks, which has resulted in financial hardship for many of us,” Otium employees said in a statement to Eater. “We want to express our solidarity as a team and highlight the importance of fair treatment in the workplace. We have made several attempts to communicate with management regarding this issue but have not yet received a satisfactory resolution. Our goal is to resolve this matter amicably and ensure that all employees receive their due wages in a timely manner.”

Otium, which opened back in 2015, was led by former French Laundry chef Timothy Hollingsworth in collaboration with former Wolfgang Puck Catering CEO Carl Schuster. It is located next to the Broad Art Museum and also received investment from that company, Eater noted. In August, Otium announced it would close a month later due to “unprecedented challenges that are making it increasingly difficult to sustain our operations,” the outlet wrote. Rylee Ratcliff, a former barista at the restaurant, told Eater that this led to an increase in business in the month before the closure, which meant more work for employees. She says she owes about $3,000 to $3,500 in wages, tips, overtime and leftover vacation pay.

Hollingsworth and Schuster told Eater that they both knew about the late paychecks. Hollingsworth said he is waiting to hear from Schuster, while Schuster said he hopes to have an update for staff on Friday.

“I’ve been doing this my whole life and have never been in this situation,” Schuster said. “I can’t imagine the stress, the not knowing and the waiting. . “I take personal responsibility for ensuring employees are paid as quickly as possible.”

Still, Schuster only expects an update, not the money owed to Otium employees. Several employees also told Eater that this isn't the first time they've had issues with pay; Jocelyn Cortez, a former manager who joined Otium in 2015, said physical checks have increased significantly in the past. (Schuster has not yet responded to Eater's request for comment on this point.)

Wednesday's protest was intended to highlight the plight of employees, but it wasn't what they hoped for.

“Why do we have to protest to get our last paycheck?” Melissa Mendoza, a waitress for eight years, told Eater. “This is very unprofessional. I don't think we should do that. And I hope we don’t become a target for that.”