Chipotle Employee Lawsuit Investigation

In January of 2020 Chipotle was fined nearly $1.4 million for child labor law violations in the state of Massachusetts. CNN reports,

Teenagers under 18 years old were forced to work without proper work permits, late into the night and for too many hours per day and week, according to the state.

This settlement came after a 3 year long investigation. According to The New York Times,

The authorities examined the records of six Chipotle locations across the state, finding that the chain regularly let dozens of 16- and 17-year-old employees work more than nine hours per day and more than 48 hours per week, in violation of state law, according to the Massachusetts attorney general. The authorities then used those findings to estimate that Chipotle had violated child labor laws 13,253 times across 50 locations in the state.

According to the attorney general’s office, this case is the largest child labor case in Massachusetts’ history.

The New York Times reports that Chipotle was also cited for breaching sick-time rules, and failing to pay workers in a timely manner. As part of the settlement, Chipotle will also pay $500,000 to train young workers and fund child labor oversight programs.

While this case was settled in Massachusetts, Chipotle may be using these same labor tactics in other states. Contact us today to learn more about your options.

While labor laws vary from state to state, California has some of the more comprehensive employment laws in the country. According to California labor law, employers are not allowed to employ minors who are 16 to 17 years of age for more than 8 hours in one day, or over 48 hours in one week. Further, employers are not allowed to employ minors before 5 a.m., of after 10 p.m. on any day preceding a school day.

If you are a Chipotle employee, and feel as though you have been subjected to labor code violations, you may be eligible for monetary recovery. Get a free consultation from an employment lawyer today.