Press Release: 2019-07-17

Boston Supermarket Cited More Than $300,000 for Failing to Pay State Minimum Wage, Overtime to Workers

BOSTON — A Boston supermarket and its president have been cited $313,915 in restitution and penalties for failing to pay eight employees the state minimum wage and overtime and failing to keep proper payroll records, Attorney General Maura Healey announced today.

Rosa Supermarket Inc. in Dorchester and its president Jose Rosa received four citations from the AG’s Office for failing to pay the state minimum wage, failing to pay overtime, failing to issue workers suitable paystubs, and failing to maintain true and accurate records.

The AG’s Office began an investigation after receiving complaints from Rosa Supermarket employees alleging they were regularly not paid for all the hours they worked. The investigation, which included several site visits and payroll demands between March 2017 and November 2018, revealed Rosa Supermarket did not keep time records for employees and that the payroll records they did keep were incomplete.

Despite being informed of wage and hour requirements by the AG’s Office, Rosa Supermarket and its president failed to come into compliance and continued to pay employees below the minimum wage and not pay overtime.

The AG’s Office enforces laws regulating the payment of wages, including minimum wage and overtime laws. Under Massachusetts law, employers must pay their employees a minimum wage of $12 per hour. During the time period covered by the investigation, the minimum wage was $11 per hour in 2017 and 2018 and $10 per hour in 2016. Employers must also pay workers time and a half for all hours worked over 40 in a given week. These legal protections apply to all workers regardless of immigration status.

Workers who believe their rights have been violated in their workplace are encouraged to file a complaint at www.mass.gov/ago/wagetheft. For information about the state’s wage and hour laws, workers may call the Office’s Fair Labor Hotline at (617) 727-3465 or go to the Attorney General’s Workplace Rights website www.mass.gov/fairlabor for materials in multiple languages.

This matter was handled by Assistant Attorney General Amy Goyer and Investigator Soledad Aylward, both of the AG’s Fair Labor Division. 

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