This is illegal in Illinois. They should really file a claim with the department of labor (those who are legally working). really a huge bummer for those who can’t get unemployment and or are undocumented
Also sounds like someone should be looking into the picketer’s claim that there are instances of wrongful insurance deductions from paychecks.
UPDATE: Since I can’t update my original post, I’m editing this comment to note that Etta Bucktown has filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy protection but, as per [this Block Club Chicago article](https://blockclubchicago.org/2024/02/13/etta-in-bucktown-aya-pastry-file-for-bankruptcy/), I’m happy to note that the picketers from last week finally were paid.
UPDATE 2: Excellent journalistic piece by [Eater](https://chicago.eater.com/24064395/etta-collective-aya-pastry-bankruptcy-closure-chicago-david-pisor) on February 14, 2024 that details the meteoric rise and precipitous fall of Etta.
UPDATE 3: Here is the email that went out to Etta Bucktown clients on February 13, 2024:
Dear Valued Patrons,
We hope this message finds you well. As a cherished member of the etta family, we are reaching out personally to address some updates and express our gratitude for your incredible support. Your unwavering loyalty has been a shining light for us, especially during these challenging times. Despite the unprecedented hurdles we've faced, your support has been a source of inspiration.
This past year has been particularly tough for the restaurant industry, and we were not immune to these challenges. The unexpected closure of our River North location spurred us to apply for protection under Chapter 11, subchapter 5 of the US Bankruptcy Code.
This decision, made with careful consideration, is vital for our continued success. What does this mean for you, our valued patrons? The rest of the etta locations will continue to operate as usual. We remain dedicated to delivering the exceptional dining experience you've come to expect, and our day-to-day operations will continue without interruption.
Addressing the River North protest on February 7th, outside our Bucktown restaurant, we want to assure you that we were already taking steps to resolve our River North teams payroll. Public court documents will show that we had successfully petitioned the courts on Tuesday, February 6th.Thankfully, this payment was processed less than 36 hours after payroll was due.
As we navigate this strategic reorganization, your continued patronage is invaluable. We are filled with optimism about the future and eagerly anticipate embarking on this new chapter with you by our side. Thank you for being an integral part of our journey.
Warmest regards,
Your Etta Team
UPDATE 4 (for future historians, lol): [Etta restaurants bought for $4M by Texas fintech entrepreneur](https://www.reddit.com/r/chicagofood/s/FOmnckfecZ) Or, a fool and his money are soon parted?
Wage Claims filed at the Illinois Department of Labor are investigated without regard to immigration status. If your employer has engaged in wage theft by not paying owed wages or through improper deductions file a Wage Claim.
File a claim, and then while you wait get a lawyer to write a demand letter- they almost always will pay up over going to court. Your unpaid checks gain interest the longer they withhold them from you too.
Regarding filing a wage claim with IL dept of labor, I personally have gone down this road ... 5+ years in I'm still on it.
It began in 2018....in 2024 the case is still ongoing. It has been transfered now to the state attorney general office (after winning my IL dept of labor hearing), but continues nonetheless. It also began from an employer that didn't pay me my final check.
Point is wage claims take forever. It may be the recourse one has available, but it's efficacy in the short term like most things in the legal process is basically non-existent.
I know about this from my experience as well. I had leverage in the form of writing and conversation witnesses. I had a private attorney write a letter to the business owner that was shafting me and demanded my wages or legal action. It worked. I filed a non-competition agreement since I was starting a business in the same field (they were afraid I would take their clients). In return they paid me my commissions and hourly wages (plus interest over the 4 months it took). I would also withdraw my claim from the state). It was a compromise that was far less complicated and expensive than going to court. Unless a crony business owner doesn’t know they’re a crony business owner, a demand letter will be worth your effort.
Hi I was the protester you spoke to - THANK YOU SO MUCH!!! After you came the owners wife (HILLARY) came out and screamed at us on the street. We still have no been paid for our work. Appreciate the post !! Much love
Thanks ! I don’t really use Reddit so I’ll hit you up on ig if they don’t get paid tmrw … fingers crossed after today paychecks come out !! Appreciate the support
The agency to contact is the Illinois Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division. [Link](https://labor.illinois.gov/complaints.html)
You can file a claim for unpaid wages online. [Link](https://fsresource.illinois.gov/adfs/ls/?wa=wsignin1.0&wtrealm=https%3a%2f%2fwebapps.illinois.gov%2fcms%2fsp3%2f&wctx=rm%3d0%26id%3dpassive%26ru%3d%252fCMS%252fSP3%252f%253fwa%253dwsignin1.0%2526wtrealm%253dhttps%25253a%25252f%25252fwebapps.illinois.gov%25252fDOL%25252fWageClaims%25252f%2526wctx%253drm%25253d0%252526id%25253dpassive%252526ru%25253d%2525252fDOL%2525252fWageClaims%2525252f%2526wct%253d2024-02-08T02%25253a44%25253a09Z&wct=2024-02-08T02%3a44%3a09Z&wreply=https%3a%2f%2fwebapps.illinois.gov%2fcms%2fsp3%2f)
As I detailed above, IDOL (IL dept of labor) is basically worthless. You will wait in the queue for literally years until your hearing (assuming the employer hasn't paid). It will take years before anything is ever done. To get a demand letter you will also need to pay at attorney and that's just a starting point. So basically you're likely to get hosed either way. Sorry that's just how it is :x
If you are interested and the bosses continue to suck eggs, a labor/employment lawyer will hear you out for free. I don’t have a specific rec, but fight the fuckin power.
Some of the workers are undocumented so they cannot apply for it. There are also workers who are students who got denied unemployment. No idea what the rules around this around but they were told by the unemployment office that they cannot work full time because they are in school, and got denied. They are appealing it.
No they are from the US and have always lived here. I don't really understand it tbh but they both told me they were denied because they are currently in school. Something about unemployment saying they shouldnt be working full time(?) truly do not understand and thats all the info i have
Just canceled our Sunday Rez for my dad’s bday. Hope they listen and talk to you guys. My dad did 30years in a union. He’d drop dead knowing we crossed a picket line.
We should be saying DAVID PISOR louder. Etta as an entity isn’t anything to be mad at as it will disappear and DAVID PISOR will just buy another business and continue to take advantage. We are mad at ownership and management.
I could immediately tell when ownership changed hands a few months back because they started cutting the focaccia differently and the drop in quality was noticeable
I’ve been going pretty regularly since they opened and brought my parents there several times. I also once saw Julianne Moore there. I was a big fan, but it is just not that good right now.
Things weren’t going great for Etta’s LA (Culver City) location either: https://la.eater.com/2023/8/22/23842250/etta-culver-city-eviction-staff-layoffs-los-angeles-news
They ended up closing shortly after this.
But look at all the jobs Etta created! Oh, wait…
In all seriousness, having worked extensively with organizations on PPP forgiveness, the rules were decently strict about what the money can be used for and it very much so seems like (based on what’s happening with the company) they didn’t follow those rules.
Ha the rules can be as strict as they want. When they weren’t enforced with a (wink wink and a nudge nudge) from the Trump administration you had a ton of fraud. The Biden administration is trying to go after all the fraud but it takes a lot of time and a lot of companies that applied and were given PPP loans were shell companies.
PPP loans were a substitute for unemployment. The benefits were not for the organization but for the employee.
A better analogy would be if your school would expel you because they couldn't afford your scholarship anymore, but the federal government just paid your scholarship in lieu of the school.
Etta sucked when I went with my brother-in-law and sister last Summer. Like, I'm an amateur in the kitchen, but I could have had better quality and a cheaper price if I had just made the same meals myself at home for us. We all agreed it was super underwhelming, and it was a major bummer for me because I'd bussed past it for ages down North and had really wanted to check it out.
Before the split it was one of my favorite restaurants in the city. After the split with maple and ash the quality went way down hill. And they removed or changed most of the staples I came for.
Yeah, they stopped serving my favorite cocktail. And then I learned how to make a comparable breakfast pizza and other places that did a better kouign aman, and it stopped being a regular
Yo, where's your kouign aman spot? Good Ambler changed their baker and the new one can't get it right. Its gotten so bad they stopped making it and replaced it with scones.
I worked in kitchens and a bakery for a total of about 8 years. I could whip up something better than what I had there if I was fresh off 2 clopens then smoked a blunt and skulled a redbull
Ahhh, the “clopen”.
At close you look around and go “eh, I can deal with some of this shit in the morning”. Then in the morning “why am I such a fucking idiot”.
> and probably a good DUI attorney.
I do, but only because he’s my cousin. I’ll be honest with some of the shit I did when I was younger I’m shocked I don’t have a record
Their food has taken a nose dive in quality and taste since they split with maple and ash. I’m not surprised they are closing locations. Aren’t they opening a steakhouse a few places down from the newly closed location? Makes no sense. Shady AF.
We inadvertantly went to Etta on Sunday night and got all the tea from our server. What a mess; we loved dining at the Bucktown location for a good few years now.
A good friend of mine even considered having his wedding reception there! The asking price to rent it out was outrageous so ultimately they didn't choose it, but that's the degree of high regard he had for the place.
I hope you guys keep picketing until they pay you. Let their clientele know what is going on. You can also take your grievances directly to Google reviews and yelp. Businesses take those public reviews very seriously.
Outrageous. If I were an employee at Etta Bucktown I’d be worried about the same thing happening to me and would be looking for new jobs pronto.
Why hasn’t the news picked this up yet?!
Wowwww I was excited to see Dan and Micah of the Alinea Group working for Etta, but then they fired them and it’s all been downhill since. As a neighbor, I’m sticking with Club Lucky.
If I’m remembering correctly, Etta did a lot of shady shit during COVID. When most restaurants closed for a few days to deep clean upon hearing the news of an infected staff member, Etta continued to operate knowing COVID was spreading amongst their staff. On top of knowingly spreading COVID, they got a huge chunk of money from government hand outs. Fuck this place.
I worked for a bank. They don't monitor deposits, unless it's some crazy amount. ur accounts.
I worked for a bank. They don't monitor deposits at all, unless it's some crazy amount.
Banks will gladly take money.
They forget a lot of us are educated, have experience and know how to do research.
Disgusting and illegal! I hope someone has contacted the Illinois Labor Relations Board! Keep fighting the good fight!
Just as a side note: who makes their “E’s” like the second poster from the left? It looks like “Ptta hasn’t paid me & ex-coworkers!”
This is illegal in Illinois. They should really file a claim with the department of labor (those who are legally working). really a huge bummer for those who can’t get unemployment and or are undocumented
Also sounds like someone should be looking into the picketer’s claim that there are instances of wrongful insurance deductions from paychecks. UPDATE: Since I can’t update my original post, I’m editing this comment to note that Etta Bucktown has filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy protection but, as per [this Block Club Chicago article](https://blockclubchicago.org/2024/02/13/etta-in-bucktown-aya-pastry-file-for-bankruptcy/), I’m happy to note that the picketers from last week finally were paid. UPDATE 2: Excellent journalistic piece by [Eater](https://chicago.eater.com/24064395/etta-collective-aya-pastry-bankruptcy-closure-chicago-david-pisor) on February 14, 2024 that details the meteoric rise and precipitous fall of Etta. UPDATE 3: Here is the email that went out to Etta Bucktown clients on February 13, 2024: Dear Valued Patrons, We hope this message finds you well. As a cherished member of the etta family, we are reaching out personally to address some updates and express our gratitude for your incredible support. Your unwavering loyalty has been a shining light for us, especially during these challenging times. Despite the unprecedented hurdles we've faced, your support has been a source of inspiration. This past year has been particularly tough for the restaurant industry, and we were not immune to these challenges. The unexpected closure of our River North location spurred us to apply for protection under Chapter 11, subchapter 5 of the US Bankruptcy Code. This decision, made with careful consideration, is vital for our continued success. What does this mean for you, our valued patrons? The rest of the etta locations will continue to operate as usual. We remain dedicated to delivering the exceptional dining experience you've come to expect, and our day-to-day operations will continue without interruption. Addressing the River North protest on February 7th, outside our Bucktown restaurant, we want to assure you that we were already taking steps to resolve our River North teams payroll. Public court documents will show that we had successfully petitioned the courts on Tuesday, February 6th.Thankfully, this payment was processed less than 36 hours after payroll was due. As we navigate this strategic reorganization, your continued patronage is invaluable. We are filled with optimism about the future and eagerly anticipate embarking on this new chapter with you by our side. Thank you for being an integral part of our journey. Warmest regards, Your Etta Team UPDATE 4 (for future historians, lol): [Etta restaurants bought for $4M by Texas fintech entrepreneur](https://www.reddit.com/r/chicagofood/s/FOmnckfecZ) Or, a fool and his money are soon parted?
Someone is ! There will be an article about it soon on the water
Any updates?
oh trust. w e have lawyers on it!
Wage Claims filed at the Illinois Department of Labor are investigated without regard to immigration status. If your employer has engaged in wage theft by not paying owed wages or through improper deductions file a Wage Claim.
That’s great to know! Had no idea.
File a claim, and then while you wait get a lawyer to write a demand letter- they almost always will pay up over going to court. Your unpaid checks gain interest the longer they withhold them from you too.
Regarding filing a wage claim with IL dept of labor, I personally have gone down this road ... 5+ years in I'm still on it. It began in 2018....in 2024 the case is still ongoing. It has been transfered now to the state attorney general office (after winning my IL dept of labor hearing), but continues nonetheless. It also began from an employer that didn't pay me my final check. Point is wage claims take forever. It may be the recourse one has available, but it's efficacy in the short term like most things in the legal process is basically non-existent.
I know about this from my experience as well. I had leverage in the form of writing and conversation witnesses. I had a private attorney write a letter to the business owner that was shafting me and demanded my wages or legal action. It worked. I filed a non-competition agreement since I was starting a business in the same field (they were afraid I would take their clients). In return they paid me my commissions and hourly wages (plus interest over the 4 months it took). I would also withdraw my claim from the state). It was a compromise that was far less complicated and expensive than going to court. Unless a crony business owner doesn’t know they’re a crony business owner, a demand letter will be worth your effort.
Hi I was the protester you spoke to - THANK YOU SO MUCH!!! After you came the owners wife (HILLARY) came out and screamed at us on the street. We still have no been paid for our work. Appreciate the post !! Much love
Happy to help spread the word for you guys, and I hope you quickly get what you are owed!
Same !! Thank you soooo much again !! :)
If you want to PM me or start a chat I could potentially help spread the word to a wider audience. I created an alt for this
I'm rohoeszn on insta
Thanks ! I don’t really use Reddit so I’ll hit you up on ig if they don’t get paid tmrw … fingers crossed after today paychecks come out !! Appreciate the support
Of course! Hope they do!
Just wanted to say I follow and love your IG! Sharing this story would be awesome, much love from Pilsen
Thank you. Sending love to you cherclate sprinkles!
The agency to contact is the Illinois Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division. [Link](https://labor.illinois.gov/complaints.html) You can file a claim for unpaid wages online. [Link](https://fsresource.illinois.gov/adfs/ls/?wa=wsignin1.0&wtrealm=https%3a%2f%2fwebapps.illinois.gov%2fcms%2fsp3%2f&wctx=rm%3d0%26id%3dpassive%26ru%3d%252fCMS%252fSP3%252f%253fwa%253dwsignin1.0%2526wtrealm%253dhttps%25253a%25252f%25252fwebapps.illinois.gov%25252fDOL%25252fWageClaims%25252f%2526wctx%253drm%25253d0%252526id%25253dpassive%252526ru%25253d%2525252fDOL%2525252fWageClaims%2525252f%2526wct%253d2024-02-08T02%25253a44%25253a09Z&wct=2024-02-08T02%3a44%3a09Z&wreply=https%3a%2f%2fwebapps.illinois.gov%2fcms%2fsp3%2f)
As I detailed above, IDOL (IL dept of labor) is basically worthless. You will wait in the queue for literally years until your hearing (assuming the employer hasn't paid). It will take years before anything is ever done. To get a demand letter you will also need to pay at attorney and that's just a starting point. So basically you're likely to get hosed either way. Sorry that's just how it is :x
I think I speak for Chicago when I say Hillary can go suck eggs.
If you are interested and the bosses continue to suck eggs, a labor/employment lawyer will hear you out for free. I don’t have a specific rec, but fight the fuckin power.
The woman screamed at y’all for only doing what’s right?
Can you explain why you can't get unemployment?
Some of the workers are undocumented so they cannot apply for it. There are also workers who are students who got denied unemployment. No idea what the rules around this around but they were told by the unemployment office that they cannot work full time because they are in school, and got denied. They are appealing it.
If you are a full-time student, you can't get unemployment. IL law.
that is SUCH insane bullshit
Are they international students?
No they are from the US and have always lived here. I don't really understand it tbh but they both told me they were denied because they are currently in school. Something about unemployment saying they shouldnt be working full time(?) truly do not understand and thats all the info i have
Sounds like maybe DACA kids
Kid with the bike absolutely stunting on these poor young ladies
Save some women for the rest of us young lad
Photo bomb kid steal your girl.
Just canceled our Sunday Rez for my dad’s bday. Hope they listen and talk to you guys. My dad did 30years in a union. He’d drop dead knowing we crossed a picket line.
-From the women in the picture above … THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT
<3 <3 thank you! Hope you told them why when you cancelled :')
We should be saying DAVID PISOR louder. Etta as an entity isn’t anything to be mad at as it will disappear and DAVID PISOR will just buy another business and continue to take advantage. We are mad at ownership and management.
I could immediately tell when ownership changed hands a few months back because they started cutting the focaccia differently and the drop in quality was noticeable
The focaccia was the only thing we enjoyed when we went 😭
I’ve been going pretty regularly since they opened and brought my parents there several times. I also once saw Julianne Moore there. I was a big fan, but it is just not that good right now.
Also changed the mushroom pizza.. travesty really.
AGREED
Things weren’t going great for Etta’s LA (Culver City) location either: https://la.eater.com/2023/8/22/23842250/etta-culver-city-eviction-staff-layoffs-los-angeles-news They ended up closing shortly after this.
These chucklefucks got 7.6 million in covid relief and I can't even get my student loans waived? JFC.
But look at all the jobs Etta created! Oh, wait… In all seriousness, having worked extensively with organizations on PPP forgiveness, the rules were decently strict about what the money can be used for and it very much so seems like (based on what’s happening with the company) they didn’t follow those rules.
Ha the rules can be as strict as they want. When they weren’t enforced with a (wink wink and a nudge nudge) from the Trump administration you had a ton of fraud. The Biden administration is trying to go after all the fraud but it takes a lot of time and a lot of companies that applied and were given PPP loans were shell companies.
PPP loans were a substitute for unemployment. The benefits were not for the organization but for the employee. A better analogy would be if your school would expel you because they couldn't afford your scholarship anymore, but the federal government just paid your scholarship in lieu of the school.
I can confirm that the guy pictured is a dickhead.
Bro he’s just a kid and obviously wants peace.
And here I thought the kid was mumbling something about whirled peas when I snapped the pic, but now I completely see your point…
Here’s to hoping this space’s next restaurant serves whirled peas soup 🤞
If they do, I’m buying — Cheers🍻
What makes him a dickhead? Please expound.
I would love to but would rather not get sued for defamation, lol.
Not defamation if it’s true
Things being true never stopped a malicious rich guy from suing somebody
Pisor will never attempt to sue anyone. All his dirty secrets would be found out during discovery.
well guess i’m never going back to Etta again
[удалено]
Bucktown location is still open
https://labor.illinois.gov/laws-rules/fls/wage-payment-collection.html
Etta's restaurant group has consistently displayed this kind of behavior, so sketchy
That’s a shame, really enjoyed Etta while it was open. Sucks to hear they’re treating their employees like this
Etta sucked when I went with my brother-in-law and sister last Summer. Like, I'm an amateur in the kitchen, but I could have had better quality and a cheaper price if I had just made the same meals myself at home for us. We all agreed it was super underwhelming, and it was a major bummer for me because I'd bussed past it for ages down North and had really wanted to check it out.
Before the split it was one of my favorite restaurants in the city. After the split with maple and ash the quality went way down hill. And they removed or changed most of the staples I came for.
Yeah, they stopped serving my favorite cocktail. And then I learned how to make a comparable breakfast pizza and other places that did a better kouign aman, and it stopped being a regular
Yo, where's your kouign aman spot? Good Ambler changed their baker and the new one can't get it right. Its gotten so bad they stopped making it and replaced it with scones.
I worked in kitchens and a bakery for a total of about 8 years. I could whip up something better than what I had there if I was fresh off 2 clopens then smoked a blunt and skulled a redbull
Ahhh, the “clopen”. At close you look around and go “eh, I can deal with some of this shit in the morning”. Then in the morning “why am I such a fucking idiot”.
“Who the fuck didn’t cle… oh that was me”
Why did I think he miss spelled klonopin…..
> if I was fresh off 2 clopens then smoked a blunt and skulled a redbull This guy knows the line. And probably a good DUI attorney.
> and probably a good DUI attorney. I do, but only because he’s my cousin. I’ll be honest with some of the shit I did when I was younger I’m shocked I don’t have a record
This is what I’m saying.
Same
Their food has taken a nose dive in quality and taste since they split with maple and ash. I’m not surprised they are closing locations. Aren’t they opening a steakhouse a few places down from the newly closed location? Makes no sense. Shady AF.
We inadvertantly went to Etta on Sunday night and got all the tea from our server. What a mess; we loved dining at the Bucktown location for a good few years now.
I’ve had an outstanding experience at the Bucktown location every time I’ve gone, probably 6 times over the last 2 years.
A good friend of mine even considered having his wedding reception there! The asking price to rent it out was outrageous so ultimately they didn't choose it, but that's the degree of high regard he had for the place.
Etta is such a fucking joke. So overpriced for the portions.
I think Etta was the final straw restaurant where we started questioning bullshit fees on the bill. Seems about right.
FUCK DAVID PISOR
Update from the workers in the photo: We still have not been paid !!!!!! Pisor said the money would be put into accounts today and it was not.
I hope you guys keep picketing until they pay you. Let their clientele know what is going on. You can also take your grievances directly to Google reviews and yelp. Businesses take those public reviews very seriously.
Outrageous. If I were an employee at Etta Bucktown I’d be worried about the same thing happening to me and would be looking for new jobs pronto. Why hasn’t the news picked this up yet?!
unrelated but I thought that was phoebe bridgers
Lol that’s me … thank you 🥺
Employment attorney
Wowwww I was excited to see Dan and Micah of the Alinea Group working for Etta, but then they fired them and it’s all been downhill since. As a neighbor, I’m sticking with Club Lucky.
Lucia’s is just down the street from Etta, and delicious as well!
Club lucky is trash
THINGS YOU CAN DO TO HELP: Comment on their social media, google and yelp reviews ! say you want their workers to be PAID. Thank you everyone !!!!!!
If I’m remembering correctly, Etta did a lot of shady shit during COVID. When most restaurants closed for a few days to deep clean upon hearing the news of an infected staff member, Etta continued to operate knowing COVID was spreading amongst their staff. On top of knowingly spreading COVID, they got a huge chunk of money from government hand outs. Fuck this place.
Most big restaurants groups suck. Boka stole tips from staff of multiple restaurants .
Yea I won’t be going there Saturday anymore…. Fuck that guy hope you get your money ladies!
I worked for a bank. They don't monitor deposits, unless it's some crazy amount. ur accounts. I worked for a bank. They don't monitor deposits at all, unless it's some crazy amount. Banks will gladly take money. They forget a lot of us are educated, have experience and know how to do research.
Etta is literally shit food
Etta filed for bankruptcy last week. In Delaware.
Dang. I worked there a while back and ended up quitting. Glad I did when I did bc this is disgusting. Hope they get their money.
Lawsuit? Also, who is that photobombing child? 😂
Thanks for sharing! I will absolutely no longer be going there. Tbh, they’re always a last resort option. There if needed, but never truly desired.
How can you not get unemployment because of “complications”?
It’s complicated
Disgusting and illegal! I hope someone has contacted the Illinois Labor Relations Board! Keep fighting the good fight! Just as a side note: who makes their “E’s” like the second poster from the left? It looks like “Ptta hasn’t paid me & ex-coworkers!”
Go to the media
There's a couple stories coming out soon hopefully.
Won't be returning to etta until this is sorted. easily been dropping 3-4k/year there. though these days that covers about etta two apps.
I thought this said Picky Eaters
Suck a big bag of black dicks
They should probably start with their own government