Press Release  Owners of Dunkin’ Stores in Lowell and Central Massachusetts Resolve Child Labor Law Violations

BOSTON — A management company and its owners will pay more than $145,000 to resolve more than 1,200 violations of the state’s child labor statutes across several Dunkin’ locations in Lowell and Central Massachusetts, Attorney General Maura Healey announced today.  

The Westford Group, Inc., and its President and Treasurer, Michael and Brian Marino, were issued five citations by the AG’s Office for child labor law violations at 14 Dunkin’ stores the company operates in Lowell, Worcester, Grafton, Millbury, Westborough, and Leominster. The violations include: failing to obtain a work permit for minor workers; failing to supervise minors past 8 p.m.; employing a 16- or 17-year-old minor to work before 6:00 a.m. or after 10:00 p.m.; employing a minor under the age of 18 for more than nine hours in a single workday; and employing a minor under the age of 16 before 6:30 a.m. or after 7:00 p.m. and for more than eight hours in a single workday. 

“Companies that employ young workers have a responsibility to provide a safe and productive work environment,” said AG Healey. “We are committed to protecting the rights of young workers in Massachusetts and ensuring that employers understand and comply with our labor laws.” 

 The AG’s Fair Labor Division began investigating the Westford Group following a complaint from a minor employee, alleging that they were required to work more than 10 hours per day. Through an audit of the records from 14 of the group’s locations, the AG’s Office discovered more than 1,200 child labor law violations had occurred at the stores over a year and a half, impacting more than 50 employees in total.  

The AG’s Office has previously taken action against other Dunkin’ franchisees. In March 2022, the AG’s Office issued nine citations to Route 13 Donuts, Inc. d/b/a Dunkin’ for failing to permit employees to use earn and use sick leave. In January and April 2022, respectively, Coco Group LLC d/b/a Dunkin’ Quincy Avenue Donuts, LLC d/b/a Dunkin’ were issued nine citations for numerous child labor violations. The AG’s Office also cited to Samoset St. Donuts d/b/a Dunkin’, and East Bay Donuts, Inc. & West Union Donuts, Inc. d/b/a Dunkin’, in August and September 2022, respectively, for wage and hour law violations. Last year, the AG’s Office cited Govostes Management Group and its owner five citations across four of its Dunkin’ locations for more than $120,000 in penalties for violations of the state’s child labor laws.  

This case is part of AG Healey’s ongoing efforts to protect the rights of young workers at fast food chains across Massachusetts. The AG’s Fair Labor Division also previously cited  Qdoba and Wendy’s for violating child labor laws at stores across the state. Additionally, in the largest child labor case handled by the AG’s Office to date, Chipotle was cited in 2020 for an estimated 13,000 violations and has paid more than $1.8 million in penalties and assessments. 

AG Healey’s Fair Labor Division is responsible for enforcing state laws regulating the payment of wages, including prevailing wage, minimum wage, overtime, and earned sick time laws. Under Massachusetts law, children under 18 may not work more than 9 hours in a day or more than 48 hours in a week. Fourteen- and 15-year-old children may not work later than 7 p.m. and 16- and 17-year-old children may not work later than 10 p.m. on a night preceding a school day, or later than midnight preceding a non-school day. State law also requires employers to have work permits on file for all workers under 18 years of age. 

Workers who believe that their rights have been violated in their 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. 

This case was handled by Assistant Attorney General Kate Watkins, and Investigator Lili Wu, both of the AG’s Fair Labor Division. 

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