Class Action Lawsuit
Republic Garden & Lounge Lawsuit
If you worked as a bartender at Republic Garden and Lounge on King Street in Charleston, you may have been cheated out of wages and tips you earned. A federal lawsuit has been filed, and you can join it at no cost to you.
- Free & confidential case review
- No fee unless we recover for you
- Strict legal deadlines apply — don’t wait
Tell us what happened. It takes two minutes.
What the lawsuit alleges
No Tip Credit Notice
The law requires employers to clearly tell workers before paying a sub-minimum wage. Republic Garden paid $2.13 an hour without ever providing the required written or verbal notice, making the tip credit invalid.
Illegal Tip Pool With Managers
Federal law forbids managers and supervisors from receiving employee tips. Bartenders were required to pool tips with bar managers who held hiring and firing authority, a direct FLSA violation.
Unlawful Credit Card Tip Fee
A “CC Tip Fee” was deducted from bartenders’ tip distributions that exceeded the actual credit card processing fee, and the employer kept the difference.
Excessive Unpaid Side Work
Bartenders were required to spend more than 20% of a shift on non-tipped duties such as stocking, cleaning, polishing glassware, and sweeping, while paid only the tip-credit rate.
Unpaid “Audition” Shift
Prospective bartenders were required to work a full six-hour audition shift before receiving any job offer, with zero pay. The FLSA requires payment for all hours worked.
Location involved
Republic Reign, LLC, doing business as Republic Garden and Lounge:
- Charleston – 462 King Street, Charleston, South Carolina
You may have a claim if you worked there as a bartender at any time within the last three years.
Bartenders who were paid $2.13 an hour and never received written or verbal notice of the tip credit, were required to share tips with bar managers or supervisors, or had a “CC Tip Fee” or similar house deduction taken from their tip distributions.
You may also have a claim if you spent more than 20% of a shift on non-tipped duties while earning the tip-credit wage, or were required to complete an unpaid audition shift before being formally hired.
Yes. A federal lawsuit has been filed and you can join it at no cost to you.
Complete the confidential form on this page with your work history and contact details. Our legal team will review your information to determine eligibility.
Nothing. Consultations are free and confidential, and there is no fee unless we recover for you.
See if you qualify
Tell us where you worked and what happened. It is free and confidential.
- Free & confidential case review
- No fee unless we recover for you
- Strict legal deadlines apply — don’t wait
Talk to us, it's free.
Call (954) 871-0050 or request your free, confidential review.
