Cupertino restaurant sued for decade-long unpaid wages

The Santa Clara County Legal Counsel’s Office has filed a lawsuit against a Cupertino-based Taiwanese restaurant, Liang’s Village, for failing to pay approximately $93,000 in owed wages for over a decade.

According to court filings, the California Labor Commissioner’s Office ruled in 2013 that the restaurant failed to pay overtime and minimum wages to several employees. Despite a subsequent court judgment, the county alleges the owners have avoided payment by dissolving the original company, Liang’s Kitchen Cupertino, Inc., and establishing a new entity, JAJE Foods, Inc., which continues to operate at the same location under the same name.

County Counsel Tony LoPresti described the tactic as a “sleight of hand” used to evade legal responsibilities and harm vulnerable workers. If the county prevails, the defendants—which include several members of the Liang family—could face up to $600,000 in total payments, including the original debt, accumulated interest, and civil penalties under new California laws that allow for increased fines for long-term wage theft.