Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images)
BOSTON (WBZ NewsRadio) — Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey is citing Mexican restaurant chain Qdoba for over $400,000 in penalties for child labor law violations.
Healey's office said in a release Wednesday that over 1,000 violations happened at the chain's 22 locations across the Commonwealth.
Those violations include minors working up to eleven-hour shifts and working over 48 hours in a week. In Massachusetts, it is against the law for children under 18 to work over nine hours in a day, or over 48 hours in a week.
The AG's investigation also found over 1,000 instances of minors working past 10:30 p.m. on a school night, when it is illegal in Massachusetts to employ 16- and 17-year-olds past 10 p.m. on a school night or to employ 14- and 15-year-olds past 7 p.m. on a school night.
"A young worker’s first job is critical in teaching them about workplace rules, responsibility, and safety," Healey said in a release. "We remain committed to ensuring that employers understand and follow the rights of all workers across Massachusetts."
The citations against Qdoba totaled $409,400; that number is significant, as it is only slightly less than the $487,050 in citations for child labor laws issued in the entire last fiscal year.
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