A former employee has filed a lawsuit against major food service company, Compass Group USA, Inc., and its Senior Executive Chef, Stephan Mets-Hagopian, for failing to pay overtime wages as required by federal and state law.
According to the complaint, plaintiff Zvi Teitlebaum worked as a Mashgiach, or Kosher supervisor, at Regal Caterers, a division of Compass Group located at the Woodbury Jewish Center in Long Island. He claims that during his employment from 2016 until May 8, 2025, he was not compensated for hours worked beyond his scheduled shifts. The plaintiff alleges that he often arrived early and stayed late to ensure compliance with kosher dietary laws and handle other responsibilities, but was not paid for this additional time.
The complaint states that despite working more than forty hours per week, Compass Group did not provide the required overtime premiums. The lawsuit alleges violations of both the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and New York Labor Law (NYLL).
The plaintiff seeks damages for unpaid wages and overtime compensation under FLSA and NYLL. He also requests statutory liquidated damages, penalties for notice violations under NYLL, attorney fees, costs, and pre- and post-judgment interest.
The plaintiff is represented by attorneys David Harrison and Julie Salwen of Harrison, Harrison & Associates Ltd. The case was filed in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York under Case ID 2:25-cv-04569.