An iconic donut store known for their elaborate doughy treats is being sued by dozens of employees.
Damian Griffiths’ business, Doughnut Time, is being taken to Fair Work after about 35 employees across Australia claimed they have not been paid.
Throughout the 15 stores in Brisbane, Melbourne, Sydney and the Gold Coast, employees claim they are owed more than $70,000 in wages, according to Courier Mail.
Iconic donut store, Doughnut Time, (pictured) known for their elaborate doughy treats is being sued by dozens of employees
Doughnut Time (pictured) is being taken to Fair Work after about 35 employees across Australia claimed they have not been paid
Damian Griffiths (pictured), the baked goods founder, is facing bankruptcy for reportedly owing relatives more than half a million, which he has been ordered to pay back by a judge
Some staff claim they have not been paid up to three weeks pay while others claim wages were paid sporadically dating back to September.
Front-of-house staff and delivery drivers were reportedly the first priority to pay while the kitchen staff were put last.
‘All the kitchen staff is from Korea, so it’s kind of Korean culture that we never complain about the money, so we just waiting with the faith,’ former Melbourne head chef Kimmy Mi Kim told the publication.
In addition to the claim by his staff, Mr Griffiths is facing bankruptcy for reportedly owing relatives more than half a million, which he has been ordered to pay back by a judge. The debt is said to relate to a loan that Mr Griffiths has been unable to repay.
When Ms Kim, who said she is owed more than $5000 in wages, confronted Doughnut Time CEO Dan Strachotta, she said he told her he would pay them until they were fully paid but if they did not ‘show up’ then he would ‘not be paying them’.
Mr Strachotta is buying the franchise from money troubled Damian Griffiths but the transaction is not due to be completed until sometime in March.
Doughnut Time told Daily Mail Australia part of the sale meant ‘rectifying backpays of staff which are currently being worked through’.
‘All staff have been retained in the sale process,’ the statement said.
Throughout the 15 stores in Brisbane, Melbourne, Sydney and the Gold Coast, employees claim they are owed more than $70,000 in wages