Anna's House Faces Collective Wage Lawsuit
A former employee alleges 14 Anna's House companies failed to pay minimum wages and proper overtime to workers across Michigan.
Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Employment
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Lauren Burke filed a collective action lawsuit on October 27, 2026, in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan against 14 Anna's House companies and owner and CEO Joshua Beckett. The suit alleges unpaid minimum wages and overtime, and claims arise under the federal Fair Labor Standards Act and Michigan's Improved Workforce Opportunity Wage Act.
Why it matters
The case could extend to a large group of current and former restaurant workers, with plaintiffs estimating more than 500 employees qualify for the suit. For Michigan workers, it raises questions about wage compliance at a breakfast and brunch chain operating across the state.
The suit names 14 Anna's House companies and more than 13 Michigan locations, with around 360 employees on staff. Plaintiffs estimate more than 500 workers qualify once turnover is counted, and the claims remain unproven.
The players
Anna's House
Anna's House is a Michigan-based breakfast and brunch restaurant chain with more than 13 locations across the state.
Joshua Beckett
Joshua Beckett is the owner and CEO of Anna's House and is named as a defendant in the lawsuit.
The details
Burke, an Anna's House employee from Toledo, Ohio, who worked at the Ann Arbor location at 445 E. Eisenhower Parkway, seeks unpaid minimum wages, overtime compensation, and compensatory damages including attorney fees. She has requested a jury trial and asked the court to notify other eligible employees so they can join the case.
Timeline
October 27, 2026: Burke files the collective action lawsuit in federal court.
November 3, 2026: The Free Press contacts Anna's House and Burke's lawyers for comment.
Legal Context
The suit brings federal Fair Labor Standards Act claims alongside Michigan's Improved Workforce Opportunity Wage Act, a combination that allows wage-and-hour disputes to be pursued under both federal and state law. Collective actions under the FLSA let employees with similar pay claims join a single case rather than suing individually.
Restaurant workers at Anna's House locations who believe they were underpaid may be eligible to join the collective action if the court authorizes notice. Employees across Michigan who work for hourly wages can check their pay records for unpaid overtime or minimum wage shortfalls.
The takeaway
Hourly workers who suspect unpaid overtime or wages below the legal minimum can compare their pay stubs against their scheduled hours. Michigan's wage law and the federal FLSA both set minimums that employers must meet regardless of company size.
Further reading
For more on workplace pay disputes, see Employment coverage across Michigan.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Detroit Free Press.
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