BOSTON (Legal Newsline) - Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley announced a settlement on Monday with a New Bedford shellfish processing company to resolve allegations its workers failed to receive overtime wages.
Coakley's office received a complaint in September 2012 from a former employee of Brayton Shellfish Inc., a company purchased by New Bedford Shellfish LLC in July 2012. The former employee alleged non-payment of overtime for hours worked over 40 in a work week.
After looking into the matter, Coakley's alleged that 32 employees were denied overtime wages between October 2010 and July 2012.
"Under Massachusetts law, workers deserve to be paid all of their wages including overtime," Coakley said. "In many instances workers depend on their overtime pay just to make ends meet."
NBS cooperated fully with Coakley's office. Under the terms of the settlement, NBS will pay restitution to 32 former and current employees and penalties that total more than $78,000.
Coakley's office enforces the laws regulating the payment of overtime, the payment of wages and the misclassification of employees in the state. Coakley's office handles matters in which workers believe they have not been paid all their wages, including earned vacation pay wages. Workers who think they were not fully paid can contact Coakley's Fair Labor Hotline.
Massachusetts AG announces settlement with shellfish processor
