Recently opened Missouri City restaurant faces backlash over non-payment from employees

MISSOURI CITY, Texas (KTRK) -- The owner of a Missouri City restaurant is facing backlash from many of its employees who claim they have not been compensated in weeks.

Signs posted outside Mama's Cafe and Brews let customers know the establishment is closed.

A former employee spoke with ABC13 and said this is not a surprise.

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"The second check was a week late, and the checks that were given to us, we took to the bank of the business, and they wouldn't even cash it there. Everyone across the board questioned if the check was fraudulent or something like that," the unpaid worker said.

The former employee, who wished to remain anonymous for fear of retaliation, says it's been weeks since she and some other co-workers were paid.

"The third time, we didn't even get paid at all. We're still owed one week's worth of work since the business closed," she said.

She worked at the restaurant back when it opened in January.

But ever since it closed last month, she claims she's owed nearly $1,500.

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"This affects a lot of families, a lot of good people that we come to work for income, and that income is not being given to us from when we worked."

After exhausting all options, the worker reached out to ABC13 to help get answers.

ABC13 contacted the owner and has yet to hear back.

One of the last emails she received from the owner was on March 6. It read that he planned to reopen and was working on scheduling.

She says another email sent on March 10 indicated the owner still planned to reopen, but that has yet to happen.

All she hopes now is to be paid what she's owed.

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