California Labor Commissioner’s Office BOFE Unit cites L.A. restaurant over $680,000 for wage theft violations affecting dozens of workers

NEWS RELEASE

Los Angeles- The California Labor Commissioner's Office (LCO) has cited J BBQ, a Koreatown restaurant, more than $680,000 for widespread wage theft violations. A total of 48 workers were impacted by the violations, which included unpaid wages, denied breaks, and inaccurate wage statements.

The LCO's Bureau of Field Enforcement (BOFE) found that J BBQ, a restaurant operated by Midri, Inc. and its owner, Byung Kwan Lee, frequently failed to pay employees all wages owed, denied their legally required meal and rest breaks, and provided incomplete or inaccurate wage statements. Some workers were denied rest periods and were required to remain on the premises even during lunch breaks to help customers. Additionally, staff worked split shifts without receiving premium pay as required under California law.

What California Labor Commissioner Lilia García-Brower said: "Restaurant workers are often at risk of wage theft, especially when employers ignore laws around pay practices and required break periods.These citations reflect our continued efforts to hold employers accountable and ensure that workers receive the full wages and protections they are legally entitled to regardless of immigration status."

This investigation was initiated after the case was referred to the LCO by the Koreatown Immigrant Workers Alliance, a community organization that advocates for workers in the restaurant and retail industries.

The total amount cited by the LCO is $680,238, of which $538,638 is payable to the workers.

About the Bureau of Field Enforcement

BOFE is a unit within the LCO enforcing key labor laws through on-site investigations and strategic enforcement actions.

BOFE targets industries with high rates of labor violations, conducting workplace inspections to uncover wage theft, child labor violations, failure to carry workers' compensation insurance, and other unlawful employment practices. Its work helps ensure fair treatment for workers while promoting a level playing field for responsible employers.

BOFE has issued almost 2,100 citations against employers for labor law violations between January 2022 and August 2025, recovering over $43.7 million of stolen wages, penalties, and interest on behalf of workers.

This comes on top of multiple announcements this year highlighting a range of violations, including a settlement of $430,000 to return unpaid wages and damages to 86 carpenters, $1.1 million in penalties issued to a Buena Park restaurant over wage and sick leave violations, and a citation of more than $2 million for misclassifying workers.

BOFE has also issued more than 2,300 notices to discontinue labor law violations in the past year, and corrected violations that collectively impacted over 23,000 California workers.

To meet growing enforcement demands and expand outreach, BOFE has also increased staffing across key regions, strengthening its presence in communities most impacted by labor violations.

Workers who have questions about labor laws enforced by the LCO can call 1-833-LCO-INFO (833-526-4636) between the hours of 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, services available in Spanish and other languages.

LCO is a division of the Department of Industrial Relations.

Californians can follow the Labor Commissioner on Facebook and X (Twitter) .

Employers with Questions on Requirements May Contact: [email protected]

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