State regulators have hauled Antonio's Pizza into court, accusing the Cleveland-area chain of shortchanging workers at its Parma restaurant and leaving them roughly $17,000 light in back wages. The complaint, filed this week in Cuyahoga County, says 13 employees at the Parma shop were paid below Ohio's minimum wage and notes that the Ridgewood Drive location has since shut its doors.
According to Cleveland.com, the Ohio Department of Commerce opened a 2024 investigation into payroll practices at the Parma Ridgewood Drive restaurant and subsequently brought the suit in Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas. The outlet reports the local chain runs about 16 locations and that the state is seeking restitution for the workers it says were underpaid.
In a filing, the Ohio Department of Commerce alleges the company paid staff less than the applicable minimum wage and that owner Joseph P. Loschiavo "personally caused" the underpayments, according to the complaint. The department is asking the court to order back pay and pursue any other remedies available under Ohio's wage-and-hour laws.
What the Complaint Alleges
The lawsuit says 13 employees who worked at the Parma Ridgewood Drive location in 2024 were underpaid and that the shortfall comes to roughly $17,000 in all. State regulators say payroll records reviewed during the investigation back up their calculations and reiterate that the Parma store is now closed.
A Wider Pattern in Ohio
A 2022 analysis from Policy Matters Ohio estimated that employers steal wages from roughly 213,000 Ohio workers each year, with most victims losing about $55 per week on average. Labor advocates point out that even seemingly small weekly gaps can snowball over time and push low-wage employees into deeper financial trouble.
Legal Next Steps
The suit, filed in Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas, is signed by an assistant attorney general on behalf of the Ohio attorney general’s office, according to the complaint. If the state prevails, the court can order restitution, interest and civil penalties, and the case is expected to move through motions and potential settlement talks in the coming months.
State regulators are urging workers with wage concerns to file complaints with the Department of Commerce, which offers guidance and complaint forms on its website. Whether Antonio's chooses to fight the allegations or work out a deal in court remains to be seen, but the state’s lawsuit is already putting a fresh spotlight on how wage rules are enforced across the region.
