The fire that hit four businesses in Palm Desert earlier this month has left many owners and employees worried about the future. One such employee, Mary Saucedo, who worked at D’Coffee Bouteaque before the fire, is concerned about her financial situation as she has not been paid for the last pay period she worked. News Channel 3 has reached out to the owner of the business for comment but has not received a response yet.
On the other hand, Papa Dan’s Pizza and Pasta owner, Ira Mosley, is working hard to keep up with payroll during these challenging times. Despite his hopes that insurance will reimburse a portion of his expenses, Mosley has personally covered all costs so far. He also shared how difficult it can be to find work in the desert during the slower summer months and expressed his desire not to lose any of his long-time employees. In fact, he plans to relocate his business within the same shopping center and aims to reopen by October. To support his employees during this time of uncertainty, Mosley has started a GoFundMe campaign.
According to federal labor laws under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), employers are required to pay non-exempt workers their regular wages for hours worked up until a disaster, as well as any overtime hours at one-and-a-half times their regular rate of pay. Additionally, California labor law requires employers to pay their employees at least twice a month on designated paydays.
For more information on this story, tune in to News Channel 3 at 6:00 p.m., where we will provide you with an update on recovery efforts and how you can support these local businesses affected by the fire.
