AG Campbell cites Dunkin Donuts, McDonald’s, and Subway locations across Massachusetts for violating child labor laws

BOSTON – Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell today announced that her office has separately issued citations against Cafua Management Company, LLC, The Brewster Company, LLC, and Knight Food Service, Inc., which respectively operate Dunkin Donuts, McDonald’s, and Subway franchise locations across Massachusetts, for violating the state’s child labor laws. The citations include a combined total of $226,385 in penalties against the employers.  

“Our child labor laws exist to protect young workers and prioritize their safety and education as they learn new skills, earn income, and contribute to their communities,” said AG Campbell. “My office will continue to enforce these laws to empower our youth and remind employers that Massachusetts is serious about protecting its workforce.” 

The Attorney General’s Office (AGO) reached a settlement with Cafua, which operates over 80 Dunkin Donuts franchise locations across Massachusetts. As part of the settlement, the AGO issued $140,000 in penalties against the employer.  

The AGO found that in violation of Massachusetts’ child labor laws, between February 2020 and February 2023, the Dunkin Donuts franchise operator failed to obtain work permits prior to employing minors, permitted minors to work during legally prohibited hours, and employed minors in excess of the state’s limit of nine daily working hours for workers that are 16 and 17 years old. Additionally, the AGO alleges that the franchise operator employed minors to work without an immediate adult supervisor after 8PM. 

The Dunkin Donuts franchise operator manages over 80 locations across Massachusetts, including in Stoneham, North Andover, Danvers, Westford, Chicopee, Billerica, Pittsfield, Fall River, Lawrence, Dracut, Methuen, Chelmsford, Lowell, Tyngsboro, Saugus, Charlestown, Medford, Millbury, Westborough, Worcester, Grafton, Burlington, Lee, Peabody, Salisbury, North Billerica, Somerville, and Great Barrington. 

Separately, the AGO also reached a settlement with Brewster, which operates eight McDonald’s franchise locations across the state. As part of the settlement, the AGO issued $63,930 in penalties against the employer. 

The AGO alleges that between May 2021 and May 2024, the McDonald’s franchise operator similarly failed to obtain work permits prior to employing minors, permitted minors to work during legally prohibited hours, and employed minors in excess of the state’s limit of nine daily working hours for workers that are 16 and 17 years old. 

The McDonald’s franchise operator manages eight locations across Massachusetts, including in Everett, Hanover, Woburn, Weymouth, Quincy, Norwell, Malden, and Revere. 

The AGO also issued $22,455 in penalties against Knight, which operates multiple Subway franchise locations, for violating both the state’s child labor and wage and hour laws.  

The AGO found that between February 2023 and August 2024, the Subway franchise operator also failed to obtain work permits prior to employing minors, employed minors in excess of the state’s limit of nine daily working hours for workers that are 16 and 17 years old, and employed minors to work without an immediate adult supervisor after 8PM. Additionally, the AGO alleges that the franchise operator failed to provide meal breaks for minors working more than six hours a day, and in violation of the state’s wage and hour laws, failed to provide records to the AGO.  

The Subway franchise operator manages multiple locations across Massachusetts, including one in Brockton, where the AGO found child labor violations.  

Massachusetts’ child labor laws impose certain requirements related to minors in the workplace, including limitations to work hours and job types based on age. Under the state’s child labor laws, minors aged 16 and 17 years old may not work for more than nine hours a day, six days a week, and 48 hours a week. More information regarding work hour restrictions for minors may be found on the AGO’s website. The AGO has also issued a fact sheet related to prevention of child labor exploitation.  

Massachusetts’ wage and hour laws impose certain requirements pertaining to employee pay and recordkeeping, including requirements related to maintaining records of hours worked by and amounts paid to employees.  

These matters were handled by Assistant Attorneys General Drew Cahill and Amy Goyer, and Supervising Investigators Yolanda O’Shea and Jennifer Pak, all of the AGO’s Fair Labor Division, which is tasked with enforcing that state’s wage and hour, and child labor laws.  

Since AG Campbell took office in January 2023, the AGO has issued over $4.9 million in citations to enforce the state’s child labor laws. These efforts have impacted over 22,300 young workers across Massachusetts. More information regarding Massachusetts’ child labor laws may be found on the AGO’s website.  

Workers in Massachusetts who believe their workplace rights have been violated are encouraged to file a complaint with the AGO’s Fair Labor Division at mass.gov/ago/fld. For more information about the state’s employment laws, workers may call the AGO’s Fair Labor Hotline at (617) 727-3465 or visit mass.gov/ago/fairlabor for information available in multiple languages.