Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Campbell has issued citations against Quick Temp., Inc., its owner Thomas Lauzon, and manager Paul Long, amounting to $1,392,665 in restitution and civil fines for various wage, sick time, and record-keeping violations. Quick Temp is accused of failing to pay the correct prevailing wage, minimum wage, and overtime, as well as lacking proper earned sick leave accrual and accurate record-keeping, according to a press release from the Attorney General's office, as released by mass.gov.
Quick Temp, based in Boston, had deployed its employees as day laborers to waste management client companies in the Greater Boston area, until its operations were ceased in March 2022. The Attorney General's Fair Labor Division was alerted to wage violations by Teamsters Local 25, which indicated that Quick Temp was not paying the prevailing wage rate required by waste management contracts of various municipalities. It was also reported that employees needed to cash pay "vouchers" at a local check cashing store, which subsequently charged a fee for the service, as per the same article.
"Quick Temp repeatedly denied their employees a prevailing wage and other benefits guaranteed to them by law," AG Campbell said in her statement. She also emphasized, "As we approach the holiday season, these issues of wage theft become even more pressing to resolve." The president and principal officer of Teamsters Local 25, Thomas G. Mari, echoed these sentiments, lauding the victory for workers within the solid waste industry and the partnership with the Attorney General's Office in fighting for workers' rights.
Previously, Quick Temp was subjected to legal action in 2019. Due to the company's numerous violations of worker's rights, warrant citations issued a total of $82,000 by the office of the Attorney General, as per the press release.
Quick Temp continued to participate in wage theft, and other violations that led to a hostile work environment, despite the earlier citations. The company allegedly deducted wages for cashing vouchers, not paying overtime, not giving a minimum wage, not sustaining accurate records, and not providing earned sick leave. Quick Temp is also accused of violating the Massachusetts Temporary Workers Right to Know Law, which outlines additional protections for employees of staffing agencies.
Emphasizing the significance of upholding workers' rights, and the determination of the Attorney General's Office to seek justice for workers exploited by these practices, highlights the ongoing importance of the collaboration between labor unions and legal authorities. To ensure fair labor practices, continuous vigilance is necessitated so that no corporation or individual can evade these laws. It is essential for workers who suspect any violations of their rights to report such incidences, to prompt appropriate action and protect the interests of all employees.
