Fifty-six former Wash Park Grille and Agave Taco Bar workers are sharing $117,244 in back wages and penalties, Denver Labor announced November 4. The restaurants closed in early 2025 without paying their final paychecks, according to the agency.
Denver Labor says the settlement provides full back pay plus an additional 70% in damages. Investigators relied on workers’ records to calculate what was owed after the remaining owner said final-pay-period records were unavailable.
The case shows why employees’ own records can matter when a business shuts down. Denver Labor recommends keeping pay stubs, tip calculations, receipts and a log of hours. The city’s release describes an administrative wage investigation and settlement; it does not announce a criminal conviction.
