Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell has taken action to uphold child labor laws in Massachusetts, citing violations by operators of popular fast-food franchises. In separate instances, the companies behind Dunkin Donuts, McDonald's, and Subway have been issued citations and penalties, tallying a combined amount of $226,385, as reported by the Massachusetts Attorney General's Office. Campbell emphasized the importance of these laws, stating, "Our child labor laws exist to protect young workers and prioritize their safety and education as they learn new skills, earn income, and contribute to their communities."
Cafua Management Company, LLC, the entity that operates over 80 Dunkin Donuts outlets, has been penalized $140,000 as part of a settlement. The Attorney General's Office discovered that between February 2020 and February 2023, this operator neglecting to obtain work permits before hiring minors, allowed them to work during hours that are legally off-limits and made them work beyond the nine-hour daily limit for 16 and 17-year-olds. Some minors were also improperly tasked to continue to work after 8 PM without an adult supervisor.
The Massachusetts Attorney General's Office also struck a settlement with The Brewster Company, LLC, implicating eight McDonald’s franchise locations. Brewster faces penalties amounting to $63,930. Violations, occurring between May 2021 and May 2024, are similar to those of Cafua, including failures to acquire work permits, improper work hours, and exceeding the nine-hour work limit for minors. The McDonald’s franchisee oversees locations in cities including Everett and Quincy.
Knight Food Service, Inc., overseeing multiple Subway franchises, received fines of $22,455. Their breaches, found between February 2023 and August 2024, again involved failures to secure work permits and overextending minors' working hours. Furthermore, Subway was cited for not providing mandatory meal breaks to minors working more than six hours and for failing to maintain appropriate employment records, as "alleges" the Attorney General's Office.
The rules in question set forth that minors aged 16 and 17 may not work over nine hours a day, six days a week, nor more than 48 hours in a week. Additionally, information about work hour restrictions for minors can be found on the AG's website. Andrea Joy Campbell's tenure as AG, since January 2023, has seen citations totaling over $4.9 million to enforce child labor laws, impacting more than 22,300 young workers. The Massachusetts AG's office advises workers who believe their rights have been compromised to file complaints or reach out via their Fair Labor Hotline.
