Press Release  AG Campbell Highlights More Than $4M Assessed In Child Labor Violations During The 10th Anniversary Of Healthy Summer Youth Jobs

BOSTON — During the tenth anniversary of the Attorney General’s Healthy Summer Youth Job Program, Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell highlighted more than $4,113,000 in penalties and restitution against employers that have violated Massachusetts’ child labor laws under her tenure. This announcement comes as part of AG Campbell’s ongoing efforts to protect and support young people in the workplace through education of workplace rights, enforcement of state child labor laws, and funding summer job opportunities for young people. 

“Jobs are a great way for young people to learn skills and improve their communities, and it is essential that employers provide and safe and healthy work environment,” said AG Campbell. “I am proud of the work my Office has done to uplift and protect our youth in the workplace, and we will continue to protect them by ensuring that companies are complying with our child labor laws.” 

The Attorney General’s Fair Labor Division (FLD) is tasked with enforcing the laws that govern youth employment and actively works to prevent violations. Massachusetts child labor laws impose certain requirements related to minors in the workplace, including placing limits on the numbers of hours worked and the types of jobs minors can complete. It also requires employers to have Youth Employment Permits (work permits) on file for all workers under 18. 

Examples of AG Campbell’s child labor enforcements include: 

• Over $3.1 million total citations against various Dunkin’ franchises across the Commonwealth. This includes over $222,000 in citations against a franchise with locations in Devens, Harvard, Groton, Shirley and Townsend, $150,000 in citations against a franchise with locations in Somerset, Fall River and Dartmouth, and a combined $1 million for two settlements with two separate franchises with locations across central and southeastern Massachusetts.
• Over $275,000 in citations against Dave & Buster’s, which operates three locations in Braintree, Natick and Woburn. 
• Over $475,000 in citations against two Plymouth-based restaurants and their owners.
• Over $300,000 in citations against retailer Journeys and Journeys Kidz across Massachusetts.
• Over $45,000 in citations against multiple Friendly’s Restaurant locations across Massachusetts. 

In addition to enforcement, AG Campbell continues to educate the public about Massachusetts’ child labor laws in an attempt to prevent violations. In June 2023, AG Campbell convened with representatives from the immigrant, education and business communities to build public awareness surrounding workplace protections for migrant and other vulnerable children in Massachusetts. She also spoke about the Office’s ongoing efforts to thwart poor working conditions and exploitation of youth and vulnerable communities.  

The Office has also released guidance to ensure a safe and positive work experience for minors: 

• Minimum wage. The minimum wage in Massachusetts is $15 an hour, therefore workers under 18 should be paid at least $15 an hour. 
• Minors younger than 14 may not work. There are a few exceptions, such as babysitting, working as a news carrier, working on farms, or working in entertainment (with a special waiver). 
• Work Permits. Workers under 18 years old need a new work permit for every job. The application for a work permit must be filled out by the parent or guardian, the minor, and employer and submitted to the school district where your child lives or attends school. Minors who are 14 or 15 also need a physician’s signature. For more information about work permits and to download an application, visit www.mass.gov/dols/youth.  
• Hazardous Jobs. Teens under 18 years of age may not do certain kinds of dangerous work. For a list of prohibited tasks for minors 14-15 and 16-17 years old, please visit the Attorney General’s website at www.mass.gov/ago/youthemployment. 
• Supervision. After 8 p.m., all workers under 18 must have the direct and immediate supervision of an adult supervisor who is located in the workplace and is reasonably accessible to the minor. 
• Legal Work Hours for Minors. Massachusetts law controls how early and how late minors may work and how many hours they may work, based on their age. To determine the legal work hours for your student, please visit the AG’s website at www.mass.gov/ago/youthemployment. 
• Immigration Status. All workers, irrespective of immigration status, are protected by the Commonwealth’s labor and employment laws. 
• Labor Trafficking. It is a crime in Massachusetts to use threats of harm (including financial harm), to force someone to perform work.  Anyone who forces another person to work in this way, or benefits as a result of the work, could face imprisonment and fines. Businesses that commit labor trafficking can be fined up to one million dollars. 

The Attorney General’s Office also funds employment opportunities for young people across Massachusetts through the Healthy Summer Youth Jobs (HSYJ) program. Created in 2015, HSYJ awards grants to nonprofits and municipalities to create and support summer jobs for young people. Past grant recipients include programs that improve public health in low-income communities, advance health related environmental justice, and develop health literacy so young people can learn skills to support their mental health. Participants also enrich their own professional development with on-the-job training, skills development, and career planning.    

Over the past ten years, HSYJ has awarded more than $3 million in grants, which has funded more than 1,000 summer youth jobs in 85 cities and towns across the Commonwealth.  

The ongoing enforcement and education actions surrounding child labor laws are the latest of AG Campbell’s efforts to protect and strengthen the wellbeing, health, and safety of our youth, as laid out in her strategic plan. The strategic plan, released earlier this year, details AG Campbell’s priorities and how the Attorney General’s Office will work to advance these goals.   

Workers who believe that their rights have been violated in the workplace are encouraged to file a complaint online at www.mass.gov/ago/fld. For more information about the state’s wage and hour laws, workers may call the AG’s Fair Labor Hotline at (617) 727-3465 or go to www.mass.gov/ago/fairlabor for materials in multiple languages. 

###