A former employee of a Texas beauty salon is taking legal action against her previous employers for alleged violations of labor laws. Bhumika Rakesh Barot filed a complaint on February 17, 2026, in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas, Houston Division, accusing Shahda Khan & Atif Rafique LLC and its owner Shahda Ahmed Khan of failing to pay her due wages.
According to the complaint, Barot worked as a beautician at Sony’s Eyebrows & More, a salon owned by the defendants, from February 1, 2024, until June 30, 2025. She claims that during her employment period, she was not compensated for overtime and straight-time wages as required by the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and Texas state law. The plaintiff alleges that despite working over 40 hours per week—often up to 70 hours—the defendants paid her less than what was owed and failed to maintain proper wage records. “Defendants knowingly and willfully failed to pay Ms. Barot’s wages,” the complaint states, further accusing them of choosing “to steal Ms. Barot’s wages in violation of the statute.”
Barot’s lawsuit outlines multiple counts against the defendants: violations of FLSA for unpaid overtime and straight-time wages; breach of contract regarding promised hourly wages; and quantum meruit for services rendered without full compensation. She seeks recovery of all unpaid wages along with liquidated damages equal to those amounts under federal law provisions. Additionally, she requests attorney fees and costs incurred during litigation.
The complaint emphasizes that Barot was promised $12 per hour but was paid inconsistently in cash without proper documentation or adherence to legal standards. The suit highlights that this payment method resulted in a lack of accurate time records reflecting her actual work hours. As part of her duties at Sony’s Salon—located at 3103 FM 1960 Road West in Humble—Barot engaged in typical beautician tasks such as hair removal and waxing while also handling equipment produced outside Texas.
In seeking relief from the court, Barot demands a jury trial to address these grievances formally. Her attorney Salar Ali Ahmed has outlined several specific requests for judgment against both Shahda Khan & Atif Rafique LLC and Shahda Ahmed Khan individually. These include declarations of willful statutory violations by each defendant concerning unpaid wages alongside orders mandating payment restitution covering both overtime and straight-time discrepancies.
This case is being presided over by Judge [Name], with Case ID: 4:26-cv-01291.
Source: 426cv01291_Bhumika_Pakesh_v_Shahda_Khan_Complaint_Southern_District_of_Texas.pdf
