Stop work orders issued to 27 Boston Market locations in NJ over workers' rights violations

Nearly 30 Boston Market restaurants throughout New Jersey have been issued stop work orders after the Department of Labor and Workforce Development reportedly found multiple violations of workers’ rights -- including more than $600,000 in back wages owed to 314 workers.

According to the NJDOL, 27 Boston Market restaurants have been issued orders that require all work to stop under threat of a penalty of $5,000 a day if work continues.

“With restaurants across the country, Boston Market needs to set a better example for fair treatment of its workers,” said Joseph Petrecca of the NJDOL, in a statement.

Officials said that the investigation was prompted when the NJDOL’s Division of Wage and Hour and Contract Compliance received a complaint last November from a worker at a Boston Market restaurant in Mercer County.

Since then, officials claimed nearly three dozen additional complaints have been received citing issues at Boston Market locations throughout the state.

Below is the complete list of Boston Market locations that were issued a stop-work order:

• 491 Ridge Rd, North Arlington, NJ 07031
• 314 Essex Street, Lodi, NJ 07644
• 180 Hackensack Avenue, Hackensack, NJ 07602
• 21-20 Broadway, Fair Lawn, NJ 07410
• 321 Broad Street, Ridgefield, NJ 07657
• 20 Wycoff Avenue, Waldwick, NJ 07463
• 395 NJ-17, Mahwah, NJ 07430
• 175 Kinderkamack Road, Emerson, NJ 07630
• 275 Livingston Street, North Vale, NJ 07647
• 471 Central Avenue, East Orange, NJ 07018
• 247 NJ-10 East, Succasunna, NJ 07876
• 332 Route 10 West, East Hanover, NJ 07936
• 1160 US-46, Clifton, NJ 07013
• 1342 Clifton Avenue, Clifton, NJ 07012
• 523 Chestnut Street Union, NJ 07083
• 770 Route 33, Hamilton, NJ 08619
• 1729 N. Olden Avenue, Ewing Township, NJ 08638
• 300 Rt-18, East Brunswick, NJ 08816
• 878 US Rt. 1 North Bound, Edison, NJ 08817
• 1560 St. Georges Avenue, Avenel, NJ 07001
• 4159 US 9, Howell, NJ 07731
• 1103 Broad Street, Shrewsbury, NJ 07702
• 900 Easton Avenue #165, Somerset, NJ 08873
• 514 High Street, Mt. Holly, NJ 08060
• 5716 Blackhorse Pike, Blackwood, NJ 08012
• 891 Hurffville Road, Woodbury, NJ 08096
• 301 S. Main Road, Vineland, NJ 08360

According to a statement on these stop work orders, complaints to the NJDOL unpaid/late payment of wages, hindrance of the investigation, failure to pay minimum wage, records violations, failure to pay earned sick leave, and failure to maintain records for earned sick leave.

The NJDOL claims that its investigators found $607,471 in back wages owed to 314 workers, as well as $1,214,942 in liquidated damages.

Boston Chicken of New Jersey, officials said, was also assessed an administrative fee of $182,241.30 and $549,500 in administrative penalties, for a total of $2,554,154.30.

Stop-work orders are initiated by NJDOL to halt work being performed in a manner that exploits workers, or is otherwise noncompliant with state laws and regulations, officials said.

Boston Market is appealing these stop work orders and has requested a hearing.

NJDOL claimed that it will continue to monitor locations where stop-work orders have been issued, and can assess civil penalties of $5,000 per day against an employer conducting business in violation of the order.

The stop-work order may be lifted if and when any remaining back wages and penalties have been paid and all related issues have been resolved, officials said in a statement.