Company fined $70K for labor violations including failure to pay local lifeguards
Georgia-based USA Management LLC, has been fined nearly $70,000 for labor violations including failure to pay lifeguards at local apartment complexes on time, Attorney General Andrea J. Campbell announced this week.
“Workers in Massachusetts are entitled to fair wages and treatment from their employers under our state labor laws,” Campbell said in a statement. “As we push for greater economic mobility for our residents, my office will continue to protect workers from exploitative workplace practices and violations of wage and hour laws.”
USA Management, which provides pool services, was cited for failure to furnish true and accurate payroll records, failure to make timely payment of wages, the intentional misclassification of employees as independent contractors, failing to provide employees a meal break after six hours of work, failure to obtain a work permit for minor employees, not permitting employees to utilize earned sick leave and failure to furnish a suitable pay slip, according to the attorney general’s office. The company was ordered to pay nearly $70,000 in fines and restitution. The attorney general's office said the violations occurred at two local apartment complexes: Imperial Apartments in Shrewsbury and Sutton Apartments in Worcester.
The actions stem from complaints received in July 2021 by the attorney general’s fair labor division.
The complaints alleged that USA Management had failed to pay wages to several employees working as lifeguards in Worcester. A subsequent investigation revealed that several employees from Worcester were illegally hired as independent contractors, according to Campbell.
“It is believed that even more employees have been affected by the alleged actions of USA Management,” Campbell said.
A message for USA Management was not returned by deadline Tuesday.
This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Co. fined $70K for labor violations including failure to pay lifeguards
