Another lawsuit drops from a Myrtle Beach restaurant server alleging unpaid wages

An ex-employee of a Myrtle Beach restaurant is suing the company, saying employees were not paid lawful wages.

Tami Hessler filed the lawsuit Friday against Riptydz, according to the Horry County Public Index. The suit names owners and managers of the restaurant as defendants.

Hessler worked at Riptydz from March 2019 through June 2022.

Calls left for a manager at Riptydz was not immediately returned Monday afternoon.

Hessler alleges the restaurant took a “tip credit” while employees completed non-tipping tasks.

The lawsuits states servers and bartenders would have to work overtime during April through October and did not get paid for their time.

Employees were also required to give up some of their tips to the “house” at the end of their shifts, according to the suit.

During mandatory meetings, servers and bartenders would be paid $2.13 per hour when they were not able to receive tips, the suit states.

For pick up and to go orders, tips would be left for the “house” instead of servers and bartenders, according to the suit.

Hessler is owed at least minimum wage for the hours she worked at the restaurant, the complaint states.

There have been similar suits against other Horry County restaurants in recent months.

This month, a lawsuit was filed against Walk-On’s Sports Bistreaux for paying unlawful wages.

In December, multiple lawsuits were filed against North Myrtle Beach restaurant LuLu’s by former employees who claimed the company illegally paid them them less than minimum wage.

Sarku Hibachi Grill & Buffet in Surfside Beach was ordered last year to pay its employees $75,000 after the U.S. Department of Labor found they were paying employees less than $3 per hour and requiring them to share tips.