A poker dealer from the Sarasota Kennel Club has filed a case seeking to bring a class action against the Sarasota Kennel Club, which operates a poker room called the One-Eye Jack’s Poker Room. The case claims the Sarasota Kennel Club failed to properly pay minimum wages to its poker dealers, as required by law.  The Sarasota Kennel Club takes a “tip credit” in the amount of $3.02 from the hourly minimum wages paid to its poker dealers.  The lawsuit alleges that Sarasota Kennel Club had a policy or practice of requiring its poker dealers to “tip out” or share their tips with the management employees, tournament directors, and/or cashiers, as part of a “tip pooling” arrangement.  The case alleges that because poker dealers were required to share tips with persons who were not “tipped employees,” as defined by law, the Sarasota Kennel Club was not permitted to deduct $3.02 from the wages paid to poker dealers for each hour worked.  The alleged class action lawsuit seeks to recover from the Sarasota Kennel Club $3.02 for each hour worked by each poker dealer who was part of the alleged invalid tip pool, liquidated damages, fees, and costs.  The case has been brought pursuant to Florida’s minimum wage law, the Florida Constitution, Article X, §24.  The court has not taken any position on this case.

Bober & Bober, P.A. is litigating this case on a contingency fee basis, which means Bober & Bober, P.A. gets paid a fee only if the poker dealers recover money from the Sarasota Kennel Club.  If you are concerned about being involved in this case, please be aware that the law prohibits employers from retaliating against individuals seeking their unpaid wages.  If you have information that would assist us in the investigation of these claims, please contact us. For more information about the Sarasota Kennel Club lawsuit, contact Bober & Bober, P.A. toll free at 800-995-WAGE (9243), or visit our contact page at wageclinic.com.