WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown today applauded the Department of Labor’s decision to initiate debarment proceedings against Restaurant Associates, which could result in the company being ineligible for government contract bids for three years. The proceedings follow a DOL investigation into Restaurant Associates which found the company and its subcontractor had misclassified hundreds of workers at the U.S. Capitol.

Every company should be accountable to labor laws and treat their workers with respect, especially when their profits come from American taxpayers” said Brown. “Restaurant Associates failed to meet the most basic standards and its potential debarment is a small price to pay for robbing the Senate's cafeteria workers of the money they earned. The Labor Department is right to take these violations seriously and I'm pleased DOL is pursing disciplinary action.”

Brown has called for the termination of the U.S. Senate’s contract with Restaurant Associates. Brown led the entire Democratic caucus in a letter to DOL Secretary Tom Perez requesting an audit of Restaurant Associates’ parent company, Compass Group, and its subsidiaries in the federal government. The letter built on his efforts to ensure fair treatment of workers in the Senate cafeteria and catering services.

###