Labor Department says Tropical Grille paid $618,666 in back wages after wage, child labor probe

By Atlas Watchline Staff · Enforcement · August 24, 2026

The U.S. Department of Labor says Tropical Grille Restaurants paid back wages and penalties after an investigation found Fair Labor Standards Act violations at 13 South Carolina locations.

The U.S. Department of Labor says Tropical Grille Restaurants paid $618,666 in back wages to 779 employees and $100,000 in civil money penalties after an investigation found violations of federal wage and child labor rules at 13 South Carolina locations.

According to the Labor Department’s Wage and Hour Division, the violations included improper tip pooling, overtime underpayment, recordkeeping problems and limits on the hours teens can work.

The department said investigators found managers and supervisors were allowed to participate in the restaurants’ tip pool. It also said the employer did not combine all hours worked by employees across locations, which led to some workers not receiving time-and-one-half pay for hours over 40 in a workweek.

The investigation covered Tropical Grille sites in Anderson, Clemson, Easley, Greer, Lexington, Mauldin, Simpsonville and Spartanburg, along with Greenville locations on Pelham Road, Old Buncombe Road, South Main Street, Verdae Boulevard and Woodruff Road, according to the release.

The department also said it found violations of hazardous occupation and child labor provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act. It said 14- and 15-year-olds were allowed to work longer and later than federal law allows.

As part of a compliance agreement, the employer must update or create child labor compliance materials and provide annual training on child labor rules for managers and supervisors, the department said.

The Labor Department’s release did not include a statement from Tropical Grille Restaurants in the material provided.

The agency’s release also points workers and employers to its Wage and Hour Division helpline, 866-4US-WAGE, and other compliance tools.

Sources

• U.S. Department of Labor News Release

Editorial note: This article was prepared with AI assistance and includes source attribution for reader review.

This is the AMP version of the article. Read the full article on Atlas Watchline.