The “Biggest Bawse” a.k.a Rick Ross has decided to take accountability for the multiple violations that five of his Mississippi Wingstops received. Ordered to pay over $100,000 in fines by The Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division, the MMG boss addressed the mishaps within his business in a now-deleted video on Wednesday (Aug. 17). Sitting at a grand piano, he put out a PSA full of motivation for all future bosses.
“I want to take time to address something,” Ross started. “When you running a business, there will be mistakes, but as the Biggest Bawse, you don’t make the same mistakes twice, you see? Taking accountability is big when you the biggest, and remember this, most successful people don’t take stumbling as a setback but actually a stepping stone to greater things, you heard me? Let’s be great.”
In a news release issued by the U.S. Department of Labor, Ross and his business were found fully responsible after an investigation of unethical practices. It states, “The operator of five Wing Stop franchise locations in Mississippi who made employees pay for their uniforms, safety training, background checks and cash register shortages – and violated child labor regulations – has been held accountable by the U.S. Department of Labor, and paid $114,427 in back wages, liquidated damages and civil penalties.”
It was also reported that one of the Wingstop restaurants allowed a 15-year-old employee to work past 10 p.m. several times in June 2021, which is a violation of FLSA child labor work hours standards.
“Restaurant industry employees work hard, often for low wages, and many depend on every dollar earned to make ends meet,” said Audrey Hall, Jackson’s Wage and Hour Division director. “The law prevents Boss Wing Enterprises LLC from shifting operating costs to workers … or to allow a worker’s pay to fall below the minimum wage rate.”
As a result, The DOL fined Ross and Boss Wings Enterprises LLC the recovery of $51,674 in back wages and liquidated damages for 244 workers, and an assessment of $62,753 in civil money penalties. It is reported that Ross has paid what is due.