Dunkin' Franchise Owner Fined For Numerous Child Labor Law Violations

The Massachusetts attorney general's office fined a company and franchise owner of several Boston-area Dunkin' locations $120,000 for repeated violations of the state's child labor laws.

The office issued five citations against the Govostes Management Group and owner Francine Weiner-Govostes for violating child labor laws more than 1,000 times across four of their coffee shops, the AG's office said in a statement.

The violations included minors working outside permissible hours; minors working after 8 p.m. without supervision; and minors not receiving a meal break after working more than six hours.

“Companies that employ young workers have a responsibility to keep them safe by complying with the child labor laws,” said Healey in the statement. “This settlement will help ensure young people stay safe as they gain valuable job experience.”

Healey's office said the law violations affected about 20 workers under age 18. After the violations were uncovered, the AG's office said Govostes modified its operations to comply with the law. The franchise owns a total of 10 Dunkin' stores around Boston.

Workers who believe that their rights have been violated in their workplace are encouraged to file a complaint online at www.mass.gov/ago/fld. For more information about the state’s wage and hour laws, workers may call the AG’s Fair Labor Hotline at (617) 727-3465 or go to www.mass.gov/ago/fairlabor for materials in multiple languages.