Employees at Fells Point Tavern haven't been paid in months. They say the business has closed
BALTIMORE -- Employees at Fells Point Tavern in Baltimore say they haven't been paid in months after the business suddenly closed last month.
Former employees say they are owed thousands of dollars.
Bartenders say they are left scrambling to find jobs, and the owner of Fells Point Tavern is missing in action and refusing to pay them for their work.
"I've been working for free," bartender J. Stratton said.
Stratton told WJZ he went months working at Fells Point Tavern without getting paid.
"Our checks started going from Friday to now Saturday," Stratton said. "That was fine, OK, one day no big deal, then it went from Saturday to coming on Monday. Then it went from Monday to Tuesday, then they stopped altogether."
Stratton says she's owed about $10,000.
She told our media partner The Baltimore Banner that she had to use her savings, and her cellphone turned off because she was behind on her bills.
She told WJZ she was forced to pick up shifts at other bars, and she's not alone.
"We have lives you know," said Yohan Chan. "It's not like everything is free."
Former employee of Fells Point Traven are left scrambling to find pay.
"On that third month of being behind about five paychecks, I just couldn't do it anymore," bartender Lance Williams said. "I was already behind on bills and I was like, 'I can't stay here.'"
Williams says he's owed about $1,500.
Records show the owner filed for bankruptcy back in May of 2023.
Although it's listed as open online, employees say the popular bar has been closed down since January, and it's now up for sale.
Les emerson, who was the general manager of the Tavern for three years, says he's also out thousands of dollars, and is now left with just memories of a place he was once so passionate about.
"It feels awful. I put a lot of time in this," Emerson said. "You want to be compensated for the work you do."
A complaint has been filed with the Maryland Department of Labor.
