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Mass. AG cracks down on businesses violating child labor laws, local fast-food chains under fire

BOSTON — Multiple businesses in the state have been fined by the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office for violating child labor laws - an issue that happens far more often than most people realize.

One local mother’s complaint about her daughter’s long hours at a Beverly fast-food chain prompted Maura Healey’s office into launching a state-wide investigation.

Jackie DeBernardi said her 17-year-old daughter, who was working at their local Chipotle while still attending high school, routinely came home late from work. One night, she called her mom to let her know she’d be coming home late on a school night, only to show up past midnight.

“You know, I figured maybe 11:30 p.m., twelve, and then one o’clock comes around, and she’s coming through the door and I’m like, ‘No, this isn’t right,’" said DeBernardi.

Debernardi then contacted the Attorney General’s Office and her complaint launched a four-year investigation that found Chipotle had violated child labor laws in Massachusetts over 13,000 times.

“It’s pretty pervasive,” said Healey.

But it didn’t stop with Chipotle. Healey’s office has been cracking down on businesses taking advantage of child workers, whether it’s working them too late at night or too many hours during the week.

Her office fined Chipotle more than $1 million for thousands of violations between 2015 and 2019. Healey also fined Wendy’s and Qdoba $400,000 for similar violations.

“Sadly, some of the reports we’ve received are of young people working way too late into the night, such that they’re unable to function at school the next day,” said Healey.

Federal law states minors cannot work more than nine hours a day or more than 48 hours per week. Children between 16 and 17 years old can’t work later than 10 p.m. on a school night and can’t work later than midnight on a weekend.

Following the investigation, Wendy’s announced that it’s changing its nationwide policy to prevent these violations in the future. Now, child workers will wear red visors so managers know they’re underage.

DeBernardi says that, while her complaint helped crackdown on so many violations, she wishes she had spoken up sooner.

“That I let it go on as long as I did. I feel a little guilty about that,” said DeBernardi.

But her complaint did result in many positive things, and not just for her daughter but also for the future of child workers in the state.

A spokesperson for Chipotle told Boston 25 News in a statement that as part of the settlement the company agreed to donate $500,000 "for the education and enforcement oversight related to child labor laws, for training and skills development of young workers, and to assist Massachusetts youth.”