BOSTON (WWLP) – The Massachusetts Attorney General’s office and Dave & Buster’s have reached a settlement, including a $275,000 payment for workers, to help resolve violations of meal breaks and child labor laws.
Dave & Buster’s of Massachusetts, Inc. has accepted three citations for violating state law for the following:
- Not providing meal breaks of at least 30 minutes to employees who worked shifts lasting longer than six hours
- Not obtaining work permits for minors before they began employment
- Employing 16- or 17-year-old minors for later hours than permitted by law
“When companies violate our laws to protect workers, including meal break and child labor violations they create unfair and unsafe working environments,” said Attorney General Andrea Campbell. “Ensuring that employers are in compliance with these laws and that all employees are compensated and treated justly is an important priority for my office, and we will do everything we can to uphold and protect the rights of workers in Massachusetts.”
The Attorney General’s office received a complaint from a parent saying their child was allegedly made to work past midnight on a weeknight as well as a complaint alleging they were denied a meal break.
Following an investigation, the Attorney General’s office found that employees were working for more than six hours without meal breaks. It was also discovered in the investigation that several minors were employed without work permits and some worked later hours than allowed by state law.
As part of the agreement, Dave & Buster’s will pay $275,000 in penalties and compensation for more than 800 employees. Dave & Buster’s has three locations in Massachusetts, Braintree, Natick and Woburn.
In Massachusetts, children are not allowed to work later than 10:00 p.m. on school nights. In addition, a worker is required a 30-minute meal break for each six hours worked in a day. Any requirement to keep employees on store premises is considered a violation of the meal break law.
