Berkeley pizzeria named in $180,000 wage violation lawsuit

Jennifer Baquing, a former social media manager and events coordinator at Bobby G’s Pizzeria in Berkeley, has filed a lawsuit against the restaurant’s corporation, Game & Co, Inc., and its directors, Gurmukh Bansel Singh and Gurpreet Kaur, for wage violations and breach of a written employment agreement. Baquing claims she was terminated early from a yearlong contract without cause or notice and was not paid an agreed-upon early termination fee. She further alleges systematic underpayment of wages, issuance of non-sufficient funds checks, and failure to reimburse business expenses, citing instances where she used personal funds for company events without reimbursement.

Baquing’s suit asserts that the defendants deliberately misclassified her as an independent contractor to avoid California Labor Code responsibilities, despite her performing core business functions as an employee. Her attorney, Alexei Kuchinsky, expressed confidence in the litigation process, stating, “My client and I are confident that the facts will come out…and that the Court or a jury will reach the appropriate result.”

Baquing is seeking at least $180,000 in damages, covering unpaid wages, liquidated damages, penalties, unreimbursed expenses, and attorney’s fees, aiming to ensure workers receive what they are owed under California law. Bobby G’s Pizzeria and Singh have not responded to requests for comment, and Kaur could not be reached.

(Source：Dailycal.org)