Dave & Buster’s to Pay $275K Over Claims of Meal Break, Child Labor Violations

Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell’s office has reached a settlement with Dave & Buster’s, which includes $275,000 for workers, to resolve meal break and child labor violations.

Dave & Buster’s operates three locations in Massachusetts in Braintree, Natick and Woburn.

Under the terms of the agreement, Dave & Buster’s will accept three citations for violating state law by not providing meal breaks of at least 30 minutes to employees who worked shifts lasting longer than six hours and not obtaining work permits for minors before they began employment and by employing 16- or 17-year-old minors for later hours than permitted by law.

The AG’s office said it began looking into Dave & Buster’s following a complaint from a parent who alleged that their child was made to work past midnight on a weeknight, as well as a complaint alleging denial of statutory meal breaks. The investigation revealed that employees regularly worked shifts of more than six hours without meal breaks.

Additionally, the AG’s office said it determined that Dave & Buster’s employed several minors without work permits and employed underage employees for later hours than permitted by state statute. Children who are 16 and 17 years old may not work later than 10 p.m. on school nights.

Dave & Buster’s has agreed to pay over $275,000, including penalties and compensation for more than 800 employees.

The AG’s Office has previously cited other companies for violating state laws pertaining to meal breaks. In February 2022, the AG’s Office cited Family Dollar $1.5 million in penalties for thousands of meal break violations across 100 locations throughout Massachusetts. In February 2023, the AG’s Office also cited a pool repair and lifeguard services company for numerous wage and hour violations, including failing to obtain work permits for minor employees, and failure to provide meal breaks.

Massachusetts’ laws provide workers with a right to at least a 30-minute unpaid meal break for each six hours worked in a calendar day. During this meal break, workers must be relieved of their duties and be permitted to leave the workplace. Any requirement to remain on store premises is considered working time, and a violation of the law.

Last month, the AG’s Office announced citations against two Dunkin’ franchisees in various locations across Massachusetts for committing numerous child labor violations.

Source: Massachusetts Attorney General

Topics Claims Massachusetts