The Office of the Attorney General may issue civil citations to employers of employees in Massachusetts for violations of state payment of wage, minimum wage, overtime, prevailing wage, pay stub and record keeping, tip pooling, independent contractor, and retaliation laws. A civil citation may be mailed or hand delivered to an employer. A citation can include an order for a business to rectify all infractions, as well as repay restitution to one or more employees. A civil penalty up to $25,000 may also be imposed.

Those who receive a civil citation must comply by paying all fines and restitution ordered and rectifying infractions within 21 days. Those who wish to contest a civil citation must file an appeal with the Division of Administrative Law Appeals within 10 days.

Anyone failing to appeal or comply within the designated deadlines will have a tax lien attached to his or her real and personal property. Those wishing to remove a lien must contact the Department of Revenue for a calculation of the penalty and interest owing. Violators also must make full restitution to the Attorney General's Civil Citation Unit, which may be contacted at (617) 727-2200, ext. 2329. Those who fail to comply with a civil citation related to a public works project will be debarred from public works contracting for one year.