Letter from the Attorney General September 1

Dear colleagues, 

It is an honor to present the AGO’s 8th Annual Labor Day Report this week, and the first under my tenure as Attorney General. Our Fair Labor Division conducts vital work every day, and I am extremely thankful for the incredible work they’ve done this year. 

Every year, the Fair Labor Division assists thousands of Massachusetts workers by protecting their rights and ensuring they receive every penny of the wages they have earned. In FY2023 alone, we helped over 11,000 Massachusetts workers, and assessed over $13.4 million in unpaid wages and penalties. Our cases run the gamut: from assisting a single employee who didn’t get their final paycheck, to representing the interests of thousands of employees who were denied meal breaks, overtime or earned sick time. We’ve taken on bad actors big and small – like Dunkin’, GoPuff and Dave & Buster’s – who have denied workers of the wages and benefits they rightly deserve. 

Whether one worker or thousands, we know that all unfair and illegal treatment in the workplace has a real and lasting impact on workers, their families, their communities, and the Commonwealth as a whole. 

The hard-working people of Massachusetts who show up every day and give their all to their jobs are what drives us forward — helping us to be the innovative and economically vibrant state that we are. As we continue to emerge from the aftereffects of the COVID-19 pandemic, I and our dedicated lawyers, paralegals, investigators, and other staff of the Fair Labor Division recommit ourselves to ensuring that each worker in the Commonwealth is treated with dignity. 

Thank you all for your tireless work in serving the workers of Massachusetts, and a special thank you to Lauren Moran, Heather Rowe, Meryum Khan, Elizabeth Murdock, Kaitlyn Solares and Nicole Deluque for your incredible work on this report. 

Please remember our office is closed on Monday, September 4 in observance of Labor Day. Find time to rest and enjoy the long weekend! 

With tremendous gratitude, 

Andrea