Little Pine

Employees From Moby’s Closed Vegan Restaurant Say He Left Them “High and Dry” | Eater LA

"I learned that the plant-based restaurant Little Pine, opened by Grammy-nominated musician Moby in Silver Lake in 2015 as a charity initiative pledging to donate 100 percent of its profits to animal-rights organizations, closed its dining room on March 15 because of the coronavirus. Former staff — fewer than 50 employees — told me they received poor communication about health benefits and pay after the shutdown, say full-time health coverage was canceled leaving some “coverage-less,” and complain that accrued sick pay remains unpaid (managers say accrued vacation was eventually paid but confirmations took weeks). Employees say Moby was largely unresponsive until a private apology email after social-media backlash; in it he accepted responsibility, said he was sorry and later, via representatives, claimed he paid salaries, bonuses, vendors, taxes and utilities out of pocket but can no longer subsidize Little Pine moving forward. Staff have publicly criticized the handling, Little Pine’s Instagram comments were turned off amid the outcry, and employees say what they want now is a few months of insurance, the sick pay they’re owed, and to be left alone." - Farley Elliott