Chipotle Fined $1.3 Million
posted by Joshua Dungee | February 21, 2020 | In NewsOver 50 stores across the state of Massachusetts have been caught with a total of 13,253 labor violations resulting in a fine of $1.3 million dollars given to Chipotle by the Massachusetts officials, according to CNN.
According to the three-year investigation, the company often hired minors who did not have work permits while having employees under the age of 18 years old working past midnight. They also had these same employees working over 48 hours in a week, exceeding the legal limit, giving them very little time to keep up their schoolwork.
According to TIME Magazine: “The violations also include failure to keep accurate records and pay timely wages. Lastly, the company was ordered a voluntary $500,000 payout to a state youth worker fund dedicated to education, enforcement and training.”
The settlement total came out to almost $2 million, which included issues with earned sick-time violations with the managers only allowing paid time off for certain illnesses.
Attorney General Maura Healey told CNN: “Chipotle is a major national restaurant chain that employs thousands of young people across the country and it has a duty to ensure minors are safe working in its restaurants. We hope these citations send a message to other fast food chains and restaurants that they cannot violate our child labor laws and put young people at risk.”
Chipotle was also accused of violating Massachusetts labor laws, such as failure to deliver suitable timesheets and neglecting to pay employees within six days after the pay period has ended.
Chipotle has now settled with the state and will cooperate with the investigation.
Laurie Schalow, Chipotle’s chief corporate reputation officer, told CNN that the company is “committed to ensuring that our restaurants are in full compliance with all laws and regulations.”
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