A substantial penalty has hit the cleaning industry in Massachusetts, where the Danvers-based SJ Services, Inc., and its president, David Najarian, have agreed to cough up close to $1 million in a settlement with the Attorney General's Office (AGO). According to a report from Mass.gov, the company has been cited for various violations of state employment laws, which left numerous workers underpaid or not paid on time over several years.
Between July 2021 and January 2024, SJ Services, a company employing roughly 450 people, transgressed various wage and hour laws, failing to deliver timely payments, minimum wage, and due overtime for hours worked beyond the standard forty-hour workweek, according to the AGO's findings, some employees were also denied prevailing wage rates required for certain cleaning and maintenance jobs. The investigation, driven by Assistant Attorney General Amy Goyer and her team, honed in on SJ Services' improper maintenance of employee payroll records, which in itself, acts as a violation.
Massachusetts' labor standards aim to protect workers from such neglect, insisting on rules regarding fair and timely payments along with proper recordkeeping. "All workers, regardless of their immigration status, are entitled to employment protections," the AGO states, a point that emphasizes the inclusive ethos of the Commonwealth’s laws. These protections safeguard workers from retaliation, underpayment, and other forms of workplace inequity. The AGO underscores this commitment by offering an Advisory on the Rights of Immigrant Workers and promoting access to resources in multiple languages.
Speaking to the broader implications of the settlement, the AGO reiterated its dedication to shielding all workers from exploitation, stressing that it operates independently of immigration authorities, the usefulness of such an intervention is reflected in the agency's outspoken policy not to inquire about individuals' immigration status or voluntarily share workers' information with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Workers who believe their rights have been trampled are encouraged to file a complaint with the AGO's Fair Labor Division, the AGO’s Fair Labor Hotline at (617) 727-3465.
