Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office Begins Distributing Funds To Wendy’s Employees

September 28, 2007 -- BOSTON – This week, Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley’s Office mailed payments to 406 former employees of the 13 closed Wendy’s Restaurants in Western Massachusetts. These checks, the result of an agreement with Wendy’s International, total $191,673.89.

“We are very pleased to provide the workers affected with the money that they deserve,” Attorney General Martha Coakley said. “It is important that every worker in the Commonwealth know their rights as employees under the wage and hour laws of the state, and I strongly urge workers to contact my Office if their rights have been violated.”

Article continues below...

The payments come from a $350,000 Gift Fund that the Attorney General and Wendy’s International created to help alleviate the economic hardship of the employees of the closed Wendy’s. After discussions with the Attorney General’s Office, Wendy’s International agreed to provide the funds for the distribution of wages. The payments mailed to the employees are for work performed for the weeks ending June 26, July 1, July 8 and July 15. The Attorney General’s Office is still working to obtain the records for the period from July 16 through July 20.

Employees should start receiving checks in the next several days. Employees who believe that they are owed wages and who have not yet contacted the Attorney General’s Office are strongly urged to do so. Affected workers should call the Office’s Fair Labor Hotline at (413) 784-1240 ext.156, or (617) 727-3465.

According to authorities, on the morning of July 20, 2007, 13 Wendy’s restaurants in Western Massachusetts abruptly closed. Robert Burda, of Dublin, Ohio, and his company, Sondocatt Investments LLC, owned the franchise rights for the involved Wendy’s restaurants. Employees were sent home, and the restaurant doors were locked.

Nearly 100 employees filed complaints with the Attorney General’s Fair Labor Division. In their complaints, the employees allege that Burda issued bad checks that were returned due to insufficient funds and that Burda and his company failed to pay wages for hours previously worked. As a result of the complaints received, the Attorney General’s Fair Labor Division commenced an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the abrupt closure of the restaurants and the non-payment of wages.

The Attorney General’s Office continues to pursue its criminal case against Robert Burda and his company, Sondocatt Investments LLC, which owned the franchise rights for the involved Wendy’s restaurants. On August 16, Mr. Burda and Sondocatt were indicted on various charges including non-payment of wages, larceny by check over $250, and larceny by check under $250. At his arraignment, Burda pled not guilty and bail was set at $10,000. He is due back in court on November 27, 2007, for a pre-trial conference.

Source: Massachusetts Attorney General