WINTER PARK, Fla. — Employees at a Winter Park restaurant said they all lost their jobs with no notice, and what made them even more angry is they got fired through a text message.
The restaurant, Barducci’s Italian Bistro, is shut down, and the employees said they’re still waiting for their paychecks.
After almost two years of working at Barducci’s Italian Bistro in Winter Park, Jodi Jackson said she found out she’d be jobless via text message from the owner, Gregory Kennedy, on the Fourth of July.
“I think it’s immoral. I think it’s cowardice,” said Jackson, who cooked for the restaurant.
The text message from Kennedy said, “I unfortunately need to inform you that I have been forced to close Barducci’s effective immediately.”
Jodi said she and more than a dozen other employees got the same message, and they are all owed their final paychecks.
“I think we all deserve our compensation for money he’s already made from us,” Jackson said.
Customers said they’re out of money, too.
Lauren Bartolome said she bought a Groupon for Barducci’s that’s now useless.
“Now I’m thinking about how I’m going to get my money back from that. I don’t know what to do now,” Bartolome said.
WFTV called Kennedy repeatedly. After several attempts, he finally replied the same way he contacted his employees: via text.
“Unfortunately businesses are forced to close across Orlando every day especially in the restaurant sector,” Kennedy said via text. “I am working to resolve issues including final paychecks as quickly as possible.”
Groupon said they will give a refund to customers who purchased the now defunct Groupons.
source: Associated Press
