Press Release

Press Release  Brookline Man Cited for Violating State’s Wage and Hour, Overtime, and Domestic Worker Laws

Defendant to Pay Over $26,000 in Restitution and Penalties
For immediate release:
1/31/2022
  • Office of Attorney General Maura Healey
  • The Attorney General's Fair Labor Division

Media Contact   for Brookline Man Cited for Violating State’s Wage and Hour, Overtime, and Domestic Worker Laws

Roxana Martinez-Gracias

BOSTONAttorney General Maura Healey announced her office has issued seven citations against a Brookline man, totaling nearly $27,000, in restitution and penalties for violating the state’s wage and hour, overtime, and domestic worker laws.

Amit Kanodia was issued citations for failure to pay the state minimum wage, overtime wages, make timely payment of wages, provide Earned Sick Time, keep true and accurate payroll records, furnish true and accurate payroll records to the AG’s Office, and for failing to comply with Massachusetts Domestic Workers Bill of Rights in connection with his employment of a live-in domestic worker who worked more than 18-hours a day caring for Kanodia’s parents and cleaning his home.

“Domestic workers provide essential services to many families and individuals in Massachusetts, and they have rights and protections under the law,” AG Healey said. “My office will continue to advocate for domestic workers, take action against efforts to exploit their work, and ensure they are being paid the wages they are owed.”

The AG’s Fair Labor Division began investigating Kanodia in 2021, following a wage complaint received by the worker, who moved to Brookline from Texas to work for him. Once in Massachusetts, the worker was subjected to long hours of work doing various house chores and caretaking, for which she was significantly underpaid. In some instances, the worker was even instructed to utilize her wages to purchase groceries for the household. The AG’s Office also alleges that the worker was terminated after requesting time off.

Separately, Kanodia was previously sued by the AG’s Office for allegedly abandoning a protected agricultural land in Sandwich known as Windstar Farm. He, and his two real estate companies, later settled and agreed to clean up, maintain, and restore the property, which is a vital agricultural resource for Cape Cod and the state.

The AG’s Office remains committed to enforcing the Domestic Workers Bill of Rights. In 2020, a mother and daughter were cited three citations and were ordered to pay more than $220,000 in restitution and penalties for violating the state’s domestic worker protections and wage and hour laws. In 2019, nine citations totaling more than $440,000, were issued to three families that employed domestic workers for violating their protections as well as wage and hour laws.

The Domestic Workers Bill of Rights regulates working and rest time, charges for food and lodging, and circumstances around termination for domestic workers in Massachusetts. The protections established by the law apply regardless of immigration status. The law requires employers to make and keep records of the hours worked by any domestic worker and provides guidelines for work evaluations and written employment agreements. Visit the AG’s website for more information on labor trafficking and the Domestic Workers Bill of Rights.

Workers who believe that their rights have been violated in their workplace can 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 www.mass.gov/ago/fairlabor.

This case was handled by Assistant Attorney General Karina N. Valencia, and Senior Investigator Yolanda O’Shea, both of the AG’s Fair Labor Division.

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Media Contact   for Brookline Man Cited for Violating State’s Wage and Hour, Overtime, and Domestic Worker Laws

  • Office of the Attorney General 

    Attorney General Maura Healey is the chief lawyer and law enforcement officer of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
  • The Attorney General's Fair Labor Division 

    The Attorney General’s Fair Labor Division protects workers from exploitation and sets a level playing field for employers. We enforce wage and hour, public construction, and child labor laws.

    Due to the COVID-19 emergency, walk-ins to the AG’s physical office locations will not receive in-person service. Walk-ins will be encouraged to file complaints online or call our office.
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