Scott Tomsons, a former employee of a prominent Illinois restaurant group, has filed a class-action lawsuit against his former employers, alleging significant violations of labor laws. The complaint was filed on November 26, 2025, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. It targets Scott Harris Hospitality, LLC and several associated entities that operate numerous restaurants across Illinois.
Tomsons claims that the defendants have engaged in unlawful pay practices by failing to pay minimum and overtime wages as required under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and the Illinois Minimum Wage Law (IMWL). The lawsuit accuses the defendants of improperly using “tip credit” provisions to justify paying sub-minimum wages to tipped employees such as servers and bartenders. According to Tomsons, these practices were applied uniformly across all 19 restaurants owned by the defendants over the past three years.
The plaintiff alleges that he and other similarly situated employees were not provided with adequate notice regarding tip credits as mandated by law. Furthermore, they were often required to perform non-tip-producing tasks while still being paid below minimum wage. “Defendants failed to provide Tipped Employees with the required advance ‘tip credit’ notice,” states the complaint. Additionally, it asserts that employees worked overtime without receiving appropriate compensation, violating both federal and state wage laws.
Tomsons seeks unpaid wages and overtime compensation for himself and other affected employees. The lawsuit also demands liquidated damages, statutory penalties, pre- and post-judgment interest, attorneys’ fees, costs, and any other relief deemed appropriate by the court. This case highlights ongoing concerns about wage theft in the hospitality industry.
The legal representation for Tomsons is provided by Jordan Richards from USA Employment Lawyers – Jordan Richards PLLC. The case is presided over by an unnamed district judge under Case ID: 1:25-cv-14488.
Source: 125cv14488_Scott_Tomsons_v_Scott_Harris_Complaint_Northern_District_of_Illinois.pdf
