Suit filed against downtown nightclubs

AUSTIN (KXAN) - A lawsuit filed in September against Downtown Austin clubs has turned into a class-action suit.

Attorneys for a former bartender contacted all employees of Roial, Malaia, Treasure Island, Kiss & Fly, Qua, Spill, and Pure who worked between Oct. 15, 2008, and Nov. 1, 2011, to add them to the lawsuit. 

The suit alleges that the clubs paid employees from tips pooled by the bar and servers without properly paying them their minimum wage salary. 

The original suit alleges that the company that owns the clubs, Yassine LLC, did not pay the minimum $2.13 tip credit rate. 

The suit was filed on behalf of a former bartender at Roial.

The class-action suit asks that the club owners pay all current and former employees from the alleged time minimum wage of $7.25 for all of the hours that they worked. 

Julie Springer, attorney for Yassine Enterprises, said Wednesday that her client is cooperating in the case and with the laws for tipped employees. She also said her client strongly denies any allegations that they are trying to intimidate or retaliate against any employees wishing to join the class-action suit.