NEW YORK, Nov. 14, 2008

Busboy Steamed At Timberlake's Restaurant

Employee Sues Pop Star's BBQ Joint, Saying He Wasn't Paid A Fair Wage

  • Timberlake, pictured in December, 2007. A busboy at the pop star's New York restaurant,

    Timberlake, pictured in December, 2007. A busboy at the pop star's New York restaurant, "Southern Comfort," is suing, saying he wasn't paid a fair wage.  (Photo by Getty Images)

  • Photo Essay Celebrity Circuit

    Zac Efron, Claire Danes & Matt Dillon at premiere; plus, Stephen Colbert & Lauren Conrad

(AP)  A busboy is suing Justin Timberlake, saying the pop star's Manhattan barbecue joint didn't pay him a legal wage.

Felipe Ramales, 26, said in a federal lawsuit filed Friday that he worked for Timberlake's Southern Comfort restaurant for about a year before he left in June.

The suit said Ramales and other staffers didn't get their proper share of a gratuity charge that the Upper East Side restaurant automatically collected from parties with six or more diners. Ramales, of the Bronx, also said he worked more than 40 hours per week without getting overtime.

A manager at the restaurant, Chris Russell, called the lawsuit baseless. He said staff members received every dime of their tips, and busboys were paid well over the legal minimum wage.

Publicists for Timberlake did not immediately respond to e-mail messages Friday night. The lawsuit also names two other partners in the restaurant; Russell said he couldn't immediately provide phone numbers for them.

Lawsuits alleging similar labor law violations have been filed against several other New York City restaurants in recent years.

Timberlake, 27, became a star as part of the boy band 'N Sync and has since become a best-selling solo artist. He also has appeared in the films "Alpha Dog" and "Black Snake Moan" and voiced a character in "Shrek the Third."

© MMVIII The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Share:
  • Share
  • Yahoo! Buzz
  • Mixx
Add a Comment
by benobana November 15, 2008 3:03 PM EST
I have a green card, it was given to me by DOD. I work 24 hrs a day in a war zone, being shot at and mortered in weather of 140+, drinking hot water, eatting MRE''s that tasted good at times. What kind of pay should a person get living this kind of life.
Reply to this comment
by hitoyou1 November 15, 2008 2:45 PM EST
He more then likely got screw by this *** HOOOOOLE. If he is not half gay he should be, He will never be as big as he thinks he is,
Reply to this comment
by ybotheratall November 15, 2008 11:42 AM EST
Attention seeking loser. Check his green card!!
Reply to this comment

60 Minutes

How gold pays for Congo's deadly war; Bob Ballard, the great explorer; and more.
Read More

  • MOST POPULAR
Discussed
  1. Tiger: "I'm Human and I'm Not Perfect"

    (186 recent comments)

Latest News
News in Pictures
Scroll Left Scroll Right
Connect with CBS News

Stay connected with the CBS News using your favorite social networks and online news applications: