Restaurant closes; employees left with no pay

FORT MYERS, Fla. – Nearly a dozen Southwest Florida workers are fired up and demanding answers.

They say they’re suddenly out of a job and their boss refuses to pay them for all their hard work.

The Dock O the Bay restaurant is at the base of the Matanzas Pass Bridge into Fort Myers Beach.

“I am seven months pregnant and I don’t have anywhere else to go right now,” said Amanda Craig.

Employees tell WINK News, some of their paychecks have bounced and they don’t even know if they will get paid their last check next week.

“As far as I heard he had made several comments that we can pretty much just do without that, that its not his problem,” said Craig.

Keith Phillips used to be the assistant general manager at Dock O the Bay and says this is not the first time the owner couldn’t pay his employees.

“Checks were bouncing. If you didn’t have a check cashing service or direct deposit it was iffy on occasion,” said Phillips.

WINK News called and texted the owner numerous times, but received no response.

“He said he will deal with it in his own time, Jack has refused to answer my calls or texts. He owes me money,” said Phillips.