Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell, standing firm on her commitment to advocate for the rights of workers in Massachusetts, released the annual Labor Day Report illustrating the actions taken by her office over the past year. The report, marked by significant enforcement actions and restitution efforts, cements the state's standing as a champion of workers' rights. Campbell stated, "Every case we bring – whether it’s on behalf of a single person or a workforce of thousands – puts employers on notice that Massachusetts is serious about protecting our residents at work," as noted by mass.gov.

For the fiscal year 2024, the Fair Labor Division of the Attorney General's Office has taken civil enforcement actions against a total of 638 employers, significantly impacting the livelihoods of over 40,000 workers by securing more than $31.5 million in restitution and penalties. According to the mass.gov news release, retail and sales sectors bore the brunt of these enforcement actions, with delayed payments being a prevailing issue among the violations.

The office's crackdown on exploitation has been notably vigorous this year. A significant milestone in the fight against labor trafficking was the first conviction under a 2012 Massachusetts law criminalizing it. To further protect noncitizen victims and witnesses during labor violation investigations, the Attorney General's lobbying led the Department of Homeland Security to extend the protection period against deportation from two years to four.

Securing the future workforce was yet another priority for AG Campbell, with her office assessing over $3.6 million against employers in violation of child labor laws - a sizeable chunk of which came from Dunkin’ franchises. As documented by the Labor Day Report, the AGO also awarded nearly $375,000 from healthcare and child labor settlement funds to support youth employment through the office’s Healthy Summer Youth Jobs grant program. Ensuring safe and healthy job opportunities for the young remains a cornerstone of these community initiatives.

The report also highlights a groundbreaking settlement with ridesharing giants Uber and Lyft, requiring a combined payment of $175 million to the Commonwealth in misclassification litigation. Furthermore, MGM Springfield settled for $6.8 million in restitution and penalties for wage and hour violations, with a significant impact on its service employee base.

In keeping with her office's holistic approach to worker rights, AG Campbell's team hosted close to 200 community events focused on worker and employer education and conducted over 200 compliance visits in FY2024. The outreach underlines a dual strategy: enforce when necessary, but also educate to prevent future violations. To better understand these rights or report violations, workers in Massachusetts are advised to contact the Fair Labor Hotline or visit the state's Fair Labor website for more information in various languages.