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Massachusetts AG's Annual Labor Day Report Announces $196.6M Recovered for Workers, Highlights Uber and Lyft Settlements

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Published on September 01, 2025
Massachusetts AG's Annual Labor Day Report Announces $196.6M Recovered for Workers, Highlights Uber and Lyft SettlementsSource: Wikipedia/Office of the Massachusetts Attorney General, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell has made public the findings of the Massachusetts Attorney General's Office (AGO)'s annual Labor Day Report, emphasizing a vigorous effort to uphold workers' rights within the state. The AGO's Fair Labor Division (FLD) has been noted for taking significant action against 1,405 employers, as a result of 1,542 enforcement actions, in support of over 137,890 workers, ensuring fair compensation and safe working environments for the Massachusetts labor force. These actions, between July 1, 2024, and June 30, 2025, led to a substantial $196.6 million in restitution and penalties, highlighting the state's commitment to labor law enforcement.

"Every year, my Fair Labor Division strives to protect Massachusetts workers through education and enforcement of our state’s nation-leading labor laws – ensuring that our labor force can live and work with fairness, dignity, and security," AG Campbell stated, as published by mass.gov. The report uniquely spotlights the AGO's landmark settlements with rideshare companies Uber and Lyft, which accounted for $175 million in restitution for drivers, underscoring the transportation/delivery sector as the industry most significantly impacted by the financial repercussions of non-compliance.

The hotel and restaurant industry followed behind, excluding the rideshare figures, with more than $7 million assessed in restitution and penalties, implicating 32.57% of the total monetary assessments. The most frequently cited violation across industries was for untimely payment of wages, leading to 586 enforcement actions. In instances where young workers were concerned, the AGO assessed over $2.6 million against employers who violated the Commonwealth’s child labor laws, providing assistance to more than 2,200 minors.

Noteworthy enforcement actions included a $3.1 million settlement with Swissport for failing to, among other things, promptly pay its employees. This was further augmented by nearly $1.8 million in citations against Boston's modern Japanese eatery Zuma, and its manager, for misappropriating service employee tips. A near $1.1 million fine was levied against the owner of Alpha Healthcare LLC for failing to make timely wage payments to hundreds of workers. These cases represent a decisive stance by the AGO to consistently and transparently address workers' rights violations within the state's borders.

Beyond punitive measures, AG Campbell's office has been proactive in engaging communities through 134 events, 151 compliance visits, and directly empowering youth with the allocation of $377,000 in grant funding, sourced from settlements, to support youth employment in public health and professional development. This outreach underscores the office's dedication not only to enforcement but also to resource provision and worker education.

The AGO emphasizes the equal treatment and protection of all workers, including immigrants who may be more vulnerable to exploitation. Undocumented workers are entitled to fundamental employment protections, and the AGO has assured to shield their rights and ward off retaliatory actions. For individuals facing workplace rights violations in Massachusetts, the AGO encourages filing a complaint with the office's Fair Labor Division through their website or calling their hotline for assistance.