Former Domino's Pizza Franchise Owner Cited Second Time in a Year for Not Paying Workers

BOSTON - The former owner of Domino's Pizza franchises has been ordered to pay over $32,000 in restitution and fines for not properly paying his workers, marking the second time the Wakefield man has been cited by the Attorney General's Office for wage and hour violations. The citations against Brian Lebo, age 40, and Mavnick Enterprises, LLC, formerly doing business as Domino's Pizza in Lynn, Randolph and Saugus order the company and Lebo to pay over $23,470 in restitution and a $8,750 penalty for numerous violations, including failing to pay wages in a timely manner, pay minimum wage, furnish a suitable pay slip, furnish records for inspection, and keep true and accurate payroll records. In August 2009, Lebo and his company were required to pay over $6,500 for violating the Massachusetts wage and hour laws.

"All workers are entitled under the law to receive the minimum wage," Attorney General Martha Coakley said. "It is troubling that this employer has violated the wage and hour laws for a second time. Our office is committed to holding responsible those employers who continue to disregard and violate the rights of their employees."

Beginning in August 2009, the Attorney General's Fair Labor Division received multiple complaints from employees who alleged that they were not paid the minimum wage while working as pizza delivery drivers at Lebo's Domino's franchise located in Lynn. Investigators reviewed the company's payroll records and discovered that 30 employees at the Lynn location were paid less than the state minimum wage of $8.00 an hour. The Massachusetts Tip Statute requires that tipped employees be paid a minimum of at least $8.00 per hour including tips.

In addition to the minimum wage violations, the records revealed unlawful deductions from the employees' wages. Investigators also discovered that Lebo and his company had violated the Commonwealth's recordkeeping laws by failing to maintain true and accurate payroll records, as well as by failing to produce records for inspection.

The Attorney General's Fair Labor Division is responsible for enforcing the payment of wages laws and the child labor laws in the Commonwealth. Workers who feel that their rights have been violated in their workplace are encouraged to call the Office's Fair Labor Hotline at (617) 727-3465. More information about the state's wage and hour laws is also available in multiple languages at the Attorney General's Workplace Rights website www.MassWorkRights.com.

The matter was handled by Assistant Attorney General Lillian Hirales and was investigated by Investigator Elizabete Valadao, both of Attorney General Coakley's Fair Labor Division.

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