Wage and Hour Division (WHD)

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ESA-WHD New Release: [08/29/2000]
Contact Name: John M. Chavez
Phone Number: (617) 565-2075
Release Number: 08-29-00

Twenty Massachusetts Employers Fined Nearly $126,000 For Federal Child Labor Violations

Boston, MA — The U.S. Department of Labor's most recent six-month child labor enforcement sweep throughout Massachusetts found 154 minors employed in violation of the federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

According to Corey Surett, Wage and Hour District Director for Massachusetts, the department's Wage and Hour Division investigated a total of 47 companies during the period February through July 2000, and found nearly half of them in violation.

In turn, noted Surett, nearly half of the twenty employers found in violation this year have a previous history of child labor violations. The nine previous violators were fined a total of $96,350 while eleven first time violators were fined $29,610 making a grand total of $125,960 in child labor penalties assessed.

The companies with previous child labor violations include:

• North Main Street Management, Swansea, MA, which operates two Ponderosa Steak House Restaurants, this time was fined $30,950 for employing nine minors on meat cutting and bakery machines in violation of hazardous occupations regulations.
• T.J. Max, Stoughton, MA, which was fined $18,000 for employing twenty 14 and 15 year-olds for more hours than permitted under the law.
• Three Dunkin' Donut franchise stores (operated by the same employer) were fined as follows for recurring hours standards violations: Bellingham Donuts, Inc., Bellingham, MA, $6,300 for ten minors; D&E Donuts, Inc., Mendon, MA, $2,400 for violations involving four minors; and Franklin Donuts, Inc., Franklin, MA, $6,300 for ten minors employed in violation.
• Endless Video Superstore LP, Pembroke, MA, which operates a chain of 24 Blockbuster Video Stores, was fined $10,500 for hours violations involving 15 minors.
• McBee Enterprises, which operates a McDonald's Restaurant franchise in West Bridgewater, MA, was fined $6,750 for employing ten 14/15 year old minors contrary to the hours standard.
• Gone Tomatoes Restaurant in Mashpee, MA, was assessed $4,950 for employing three minors, one of which was only 13 years of age, in violation of the hours standard.
• The Wave, a restaurant in Marion, MA, paid $4,500 for employing five minors in violation of the hours standard.
• M&M Supermarkets, Inc, Framingham, MA, doing business as Countryfare Star, was fined $3,900 for employing five 14/15-year-old minors in violation of the hours standard.
• A McDonald's Restaurant corporate store in Milford, MA, was fined $1,800 for employing two minors beyond the hours permitted.

• The employers newly cited for child labor violations include:
• The Waltham Public Library, Waltham, MA, which was fined $2,250 for employing five minors in violation of the hours standard.
• Pabenco, Inc., operating a McDonald's Restaurant in Brockton, MA, was fined $4,000 for the unlawful employment of twelve minors.
• Naves Enterprises, Inc., operating a Domino's Pizza restaurant in Westfield, MA, was assessed $2,725 for hours violations involving four minors.
• Pizza Pub & Restaurant, Wilbraham, MA, was fined $5,400 for various violations involving five young workers.
• The Summer House Restaurant, Southwick, MA, was assessed $1,260 for hours violations regarding four minor employees.
• Partners, Inc. Cream Company, operating a Ben & Jerry's ice cream store in Natick, MA, was fined $3,500 for employing eleven young people in violation of the hours standard.
• Kids Playground, Inc., Woburn, MA, was required to pay $1,900 for hours violations involving seven young workers.
• Kyler Seafoods, Inc., a fish processing plant in New Bedford, MA, was assessed $4,175 for various violations covering 4 minor employees.
• Michael P. Neath Landscape Construction, Centerville, MA, was fined $800 for a hazardous occupation violation involving one young worker.
• New England Pet Centers, Inc., of Brockton, MA, doing business as Pet Club Express was fined $1,350 for hours violations involving three minors.
• J.P. Fisherman's Food & Spirits, Leicester, MA, was assessed $2,250 for employing five young people in violation of the hours standard.

This sweep was part of the department's Safe Work/Safe Kids initiative. Launched last summer by Secretary of Labor Alexis M. Herman, Safe Work/Safe Kids is designed to help ensure teens have safe and positive work experiences. The initiative embraces a strategy of enhanced enforcement, increased education, strong partnerships, and heightened public awareness to increase compliance with federal child labor laws.

Under federal law, employment in specific hazardous occupations until age 18 is prohibited. There are also additional occupation restrictions for minors under 16, as well as hours and time restrictions for those under age 16. Hours and time restrictions prohibit employment before 7AM or after 7PM (after 9PM June 1 through Labor Day), prohibit working more than 3 hours on a school day or more than 8 hours on a non-school day, and also prohibit working more than 18 hours in a school week or more than 40 hours in a non-school week. Different standards apply to farm labor. In Massachusetts there are further restrictions on the employment of minors. For more information contact the Wage and Hour Division in Boston at 617-565-2066 or in Taunton at 508-559-5330.

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