Massachusetts AG Cites Two Tweeter Center Employers For Multiple Child Labor Violations

October 17, 2007 -- BOSTON – Today, Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley issued citations assessing thousands of dollars in penalties in the wake of an investigation revealing numerous child labor law violations at the popular concert venue, Tweeter Center for the Performing Arts, in Mansfield.

Two separate companies operating at the Tweeter Center, Live Nation, Inc. and Delaware North Companies (doing business as Sport Service), were cited by the Attorney General’s Office for multiple violations of the Massachusetts Child Labor Law. The violations occurred during the 2007 concert season.

“It is important that every worker in the Commonwealth, regardless of age, know his or her rights whenever they enter the workplace,” said Attorney General Martha Coakley. “The Child Labor laws are essential to protecting the health and safety of our teen workers. The January reforms of the Child Labor laws gave my office an important tool – the ability to issue civil citations, which will promote compliance with the laws.”

As a result of an anonymous tip, the Attorney General’s Fair Labor Division conducted a three-month investigation that revealed Sport Service had violated the state’s child labor hour restrictions. The company had minors working beyond 10:00 p.m. on many school nights during May and June of this year. On numerous other occasions, it employed minors to work in excess of nine hours per day, the maximum daily hour limitation in Massachusetts. Sport Service was also cited for employing a minor without a work permit, as required by state law. In all, the company was cited over $12,000 in child labor penalties.

Live Nation was cited for five instances of employing minors past 10:00 p.m. and many instances of employing minors without work permits. The company was cited for child labor penalties totaling nearly $4,000.

In total, approximately 100 minors were working in violation of the child labor laws at the Tweeter Center, either without work permits or beyond hour restrictions.

The Massachusetts Child Labor Laws include restrictions on both the occupations in which minors may be employed, as well as the hours during which they may work. The law also requires employers to ensure that teens have proper work permits prior to beginning work, and that employers post all minors’ work schedules in the workplace.

Amendments to the Child Labor Laws were enacted in 2007 to provide new workplace protections for minors, including restricting employment of 16 and 17 year olds to 10 p.m. on nights preceding school. Another important new safeguard in the law makes it illegal for minors to work past 8 p.m. without adult supervision.

This summer, Attorney General Coakley’s Office launched an educational campaign designed to inform teenagers of their rights in the workplace. The campaign included radio ads aired throughout the state, as well as print advertising on public transit in Springfield. Both the radio and print ads direct teens to a website with more information: www.laborlowdown.com. The radio and print ads are available on the Attorney General’s website, www.mass.gov/ago, in the Workplace Rights section under Youth Employment.

The cases were handled by Assistant Attorney General Jocelyn Jones, with assistance from Inspectors Jeffrey Mahoney and Iona Powell-Headley, all of Attorney General Martha Coakley’s Fair Labor Division.

Source: Massachusetts Attorney General

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