BOSTON (WWLP) – State Attorney General Andrea Campbell’s Office issued citations totaling close to $400,000 against two Dunkin’ franchisees in Massachusetts for numerous child labor law violations across the state.
Courtney Donuts, LLC and Somerset Donut Express, Inc. d/b/a Dunkin’, have been cited for their failure to obtain valid work permits and received numerous employment of minors violations. The investigation uncovered over a thousand instances in which the state’s child labor laws were not enforced affecting hundreds of underaged employees in Massachusetts.
Courtney Donuts, operate 20 Dunkin’ stores in towns throughout Massachusetts including in Devens, Harvard, Groton, Shirley, and Townsend. They were issued four citations totaling over $222,000 for the following:
- Failure to obtain valid work permits
- Employing minors after 8 p.m. without adult supervision
- Employment of 16- or 17-year-olds for more than nine hours a day
- Employment of minors earlier than the earliest permissible hour of 6 a.m.
Somerset Donut Express, Inc. operates seven Dunkin’ stores in Somerset, Fall River, and Dartmouth. They were also issued four citations totaling $150,000 for the following:
- Failure to obtain valid work permits
- Employing minors after 8 p.m. without adult supervision
- Employment of 16- or 17-year-olds for more than nine hours a day
- Employment of minors later than the latest permissible hour of 10 p.m.
“Companies who employ young workers must comply with our child labor laws and provide a safe and fair environment for them,” said AG Campbell. “My office remains committed to protecting the health and well-being of the state’s youngest workers, ensuring their rights are protected, and that companies are complying with the rules we have in place.”
Since January 2022, the AG’s Office has issued 32 citations against various owners of several Dunkin’ franchisees. The majority of the citations relate to child labor violations and total over $564,000 in restitution and penalties.
