BOSTON (WWLP) – Dollar Tree Stores, Inc. doing business as Family Dollar, was fined $1.5 million in penalties for more than 3,900 violations of the state’s meal break laws, Attorney General Maura Healey announced.
An investigation into Family Dollar began after the Attorney General’s Fair Labor Division received multiple complaints that employees were not given proper meal breaks because of persistent staffing shortages. It was determined from 2018 to 2019, the company routinely cut the necessary payroll hours, leaving stores under-staffed. This resulted in hundreds of employees being unable to leave their stores or take meal breaks.
According to a news release sent to 22News from the AG’s office, employees were routinely required to remain on store premises, even when they were able to punch out for meal breaks. Any requirement to remain on store premises is considered working time, and a violation of the law.
Family Dollar was issued two citations by the Attorney General’s Office for failing to provide employees who worked for more than six hours in one day at least 30 minutes for a meal break. The investigation lead to 620 employees affected in 100 Massachusetts locations, the majority of which are in low-income neighborhoods.
“Workers give us their time, energy, and efforts to keep businesses running and our economy afloat,” said AG Healey. “These citations should send a message to all companies that they need to do right by their employees and provide meal breaks...
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