Canlis has settled a lawsuit levied against the restaurant in 2023 for wage theft. The case evolved from an initial filing by a pair of servers into a class action suit representing over 300 current and former employees. They will be paid $1.45 million collectively, the Seattle Times reports.
The suit included allegations that Canlis did not pay workers for training on their first days (referred to as stagiaire work), that it did not provide breaks, and that it retained a 2 percent fee charged to customers while writing on menus that the charges were distributed among staff.
In a statement to the Times, co-owner Brian Canlis continued to say the restaurant “disagreed” with the accusations, but that settling was “the best way to get back to taking care of our team and our guests.”
A statement issued by lawyers representing the workers outlined what it sees as the three problems illuminated by this lawsuit. First, that “service fees are deceptive — for workers and the public.” It goes on to assert that, “The only type of acceptable service fee is one that goes directly to the workers who provide the service.”
The second is that “nobody should work for free.” It continues, saying that the practice of staging for free is a long-standing practice at fine dining restaurants but it won’t be at Canlis anymore. Following this suit, stagiaires will be paid for their shifts.
Finally, it addresses the need for workers on breaks to be “relieved of duty and be allowed to truly unplug from your job during that time.”
“Without a doubt, tradition and aesthetics have their place in food. However, restaurants have an ability and responsibility to their employees to provide required information about their rights and a safe work environment. I consider this a success for Canlis staff who are receiving compensation and a success for food industry employees and consumers more broadly who were unaware of retained service fees,” said Alexandra Bradley, former Canlis server and named plaintiff.
Update: October 15, 2024, 6:26 a.m.: This article has been updated with statements from the representatives of the plaintiffs.